TMC MP’s comment draws BJP anger

A comment by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra referring to late judge BH Loya in her speech in the Lok Sabha on Friday led to an uproar and prompted two short adjournments, a sharp response from Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, and support from senior opposition members.

Also Read: Priyanka Gandhi in her maiden speech in Parliament: ‘Country cannot run on fear’

Participating in a debate on 75 years of the Constitution, Moitra attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party for allegedly targeting government institutions and opposition leaders in a bid to scuttle critical voices. During her speech, she made a passing reference to justice Loya’s death in 2014.

Also Read: ‘Wealth creators of India…’: Sadhguru ‘disheartened’ over Parliament disruptions

After the TMC MP finished her speech, BJP’s Nishikant Dubey raised the issue. He also objected to Moitra’s criticism of former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, who recently retired, for a host of reasons, including receiving Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence during the Ganapati festival.

Also Read: TMC blames INDIA ally Congress, BJP for Parliament logjam: ‘Not proper’

“…this is not the first time. Even before this, Chief Justices and other judges have visited the Prime Minister’s residence. In such a situation, if the Prime Minister went there, it is not right to make it an issue,” Dubey said.

Rijiju reminded the TMC MP that the case was already settled in the Supreme Court.

When the House reconvened after two adjournments, senior opposition members, Saugata Roy of the TMC and KC Venugopal of the Congress, protested against Rijiju’s choice of words, emphasising that it was the Speaker who is the custodian of Lok Sabha.

Both the MPs said the ruling party could have resorted to appropriate rules to seek action if they had an issue with Moitra’s speech.

Venugopal also sought to remind Rijiju that as the parliamentary affairs minister, it was his responsibility to maintain peace in the House but he instead “threatened and intimidated” a woman member

Addressing Birla, Venugopal said, “You are the custodian. You have the powers to delete, expunge... The parliamentary affairs minister took the entire custody of House and he virtually threatened the lady member.”

Roy accused Rijiju of making “brazen effort” to threaten Moitra.

The Speaker lamented members engaging in personal allegations and counter-allegations, and asked them to have a constructive debate over issues related to the Constitution.

Birla said he asked Moitra to authenticate her remarks. Some remarks by Moitra, Dubey and Rijiju related to judge Loya were later expunged from parliamentary records.

Later in a post on X, Moitra said all those reporting that “parliament affairs minster warned me - it is he who will face action for threatening me!”

Judge Loya’s death in 2014 had created a major row following a media report alleging foul play as he was hearing a politically sensitive case. The matter reached the Supreme Court. While hearing some public interest litigations, the SC had said there was no merit in pleas alleging foul play. It said the judge died of natural causes.