Kolkata: Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra on Sunday said she will lodge FIR against BJP workers planning to hurl eggs and tomatoes at her, saying political opposition cannot be allowed to degenerate into “physical intimidation” and warned that she was prepared to pursue the matter all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.
The Krishnanagar MP’s sharp response came after she claimed that a group of BJP woman workers had gathered outside the Krishnanagar district court with eggs and tomatoes ahead of her scheduled appearance in connection with a case on Thursday. Moitra, however, did not turn up for reasons that remain unclear, and the planned protest never materialised.
The episode comes at the backdrop of an increasingly bitter political climate in Bengal, where hurling eggs at Trinamool functionaries has emerged as a new form of public protest. What began with protests against Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has evolved into a pattern of demonstrative protests involving rotten eggs directed at functionaries of varying ranks within the party.
“Political criticism is part of democracy. But disruptive acts and attempts at physical intimidation cannot be normalised,” she said, asserting that elected representatives were entitled to security and dignity during public engagements.
On Saturday, Moitra posted photographs on Facebook purportedly showing 13 BJP women workers waiting with eggs and tomatoes. She later released a strongly worded video message directed at those she accused of planning the protest. “I will file an FIR. If it is not accepted, I will file a case under Section 156(3) before the magistrate. If the magistrate does not listen, I will go to the HC. If the HC does not act, I will go to the SC,” she said in the video.
Moitra also referred to the recent incident involving former state correctional administration minister Ujjwal Biswas, who was allegedly pelted with eggs by a crowd at his house while officials from the local BDO office had gone there to collect relief materials stored there.
“I had asked Ujjwal to lodge an FIR. He didn’t do it. But I will lodge an FIR against them,” Moitra said.
BJP functionary Keya Ghosh responded, “Mahua Maitra is threatening people of FIRs and cases if she too is welcomed with eggs. But what if the protesters come wearing helmet? Also, she should ask for a blanket ban as people could pelt rotten tomatoes or potatoes instead of eggs. (with chor chor slogan as bonus).”
Former Triputa governor Tathagata Roy also waded into this debate. He wrote on X, “As far as I know, there is no prohibition against throwing eggs or tomatoes in the Indian Penal Code or the Code of Criminal Procedure. Therefore, those who wish to may throw eggs or tomatoes with a joyful heart. However, a request: please don’t throw good eggs or tomatoes; bring rotten eggs from the egg tray and throw those.”
Former advocate general Jayanta Mitra, however, differed. “Throwing eggs or any object on people is against the law. How is it that when a person is being taken to custody, before their guilt has been established, they are being punished this way. It is unacceptable in a civilised society. It’s the police’s responsibility to control the crowd. If they are unable to, then the police are not discharging their duties. This sort of act is a breach of peace. It is a criminal offence. Attacking a person, this is a case of criminal assault. All these things used to happen in medieval times, accused people were beaten to death as part of mob justice. Those were the past, today is supposed to be a civilised society. Without supporting what the accused may have done, I also cannot support what others are doing to these people.”