2 weeks ago
Mahua Moitra moves privilege notice over late-night circuit house eviction
Mahua Moitra is a member of India's Parliament.
She went to a government guest house called a circuit house in her constituency, which is meant for MPs to stay in when they visit.
Late at night, officials told her she had to leave, saying the guest house was closing for cleaning.
Moitra said the cleaning story did not make sense because other rooms were still being used that night.
She also said nobody offered her another place to stay.
She said a crowd gathered outside the guest house late at night.
She thinks the officials were trying to stop her from doing her job.
So she asked the Speaker of Parliament to look into what happened.
She wants the officials to be held responsible.
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra moved a privilege notice before Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla over being asked to vacate the Nadia Circuit House in Krishnanagar late on August 14.
The notice, dated August 16 under Rule 222, seeks action against Nadia District Magistrate Srikant Palli, Additional District Magistrate Nirpendra Singh and Nazareth Deputy Collector Anamika Bera.
Moitra said she was asked to vacate by phone at 9.47 pm and received a WhatsApp message at 10.52 pm with an order dated August 12 citing annual maintenance and cleaning.
She alleged no alternate arrangement was offered, that at least four rooms were occupied that night, and that a crowd gathered outside the circuit house around 11 pm.
Moitra cited the Ministry of Home Affairs' Order of Precedence, which places MPs at number 21, and sought referral of the notice to the Privileges Committee.
- Who
- Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar, against Nadia District Magistrate Srikant Palli, Additional District Magistrate Nirpendra Singh and Nazareth Deputy Collector Anamika Bera, before Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
- What
- A privilege notice alleging serious breach of protocol and contemptuous conduct after Moitra was asked to vacate the Nadia Circuit House late at night
- Where
- Nadia Circuit House, Krishnanagar, West Bengal; notice filed in New Delhi
- When
- Night of August 14; notice dated August 16, reported August 17
- Why
- Moitra alleges the officials' conduct was part of a larger effort to prevent her from carrying out her parliamentary duties and violated her rights and safety as a woman MP
Moitra's allegations
Officials' and BJP's responses
Late-night eviction from circuit house
Moitra's allegations
Moitra says the order citing annual maintenance and cleaning was a pretext: no cleaning was underway, at least four rooms were occupied, and no alternate arrangement was offered.
Officials' and BJP's responses
The administration's order dated August 12 stated the circuit house would be unavailable from the evening of August 14 due to annual maintenance and cleaning, with reservations confirmed before August 13 exempted.
July 1 incident at TMC office in Nadia
Moitra's allegations
Moitra alleged BJP workers hurled eggs, vegetables and stones at a TMC office in Nadia where she was attending a party meeting.
Officials' and BJP's responses
The BJP denied involvement and attributed the incident to factionalism within the TMC.
Key facts
- MP
- Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar
- Officials named
- Nadia DM Srikant Palli, ADM Nirpendra Singh, Nazareth Deputy Collector Anamika Bera
- Time asked to vacate
- Phone call at 9.47 pm; WhatsApp order at 10.52 pm
- Eviction order
- Dated August 12, citing annual maintenance and cleaning
- Rule cited
- Rule 222 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha
- Order of Precedence
- MPs placed at number 21 under the Ministry of Home Affairs' Order of Precedence
- Previous notice
- July 5 privilege notice against Krishnanagar SP and other police officers
- Interim measure sought
- Advisory to West Bengal chief secretary to accord Moitra full MP protocol
Quotes
Mahua Moitra
Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar
“"Tea was served in my room at 7 pm and dinner was served at 9.20 pm in the room."”
theprint.in
“"No alternate arrangement" was offered to her, she said.”
theprint.in
Sources
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