Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday, September 16, faced a protest allegedly by BJP workers and was pelted with eggs during a visit to Nadia district’s Tehatta area, where demonstrators waved black flags and raised “go back” slogans as she left a party meeting.
Eggs were allegedly thrown at Moitra as she was leaving a meeting venue, triggering tension in the area and prompting police personnel present at the spot to intervene.
Moitra, a two-term MP from the Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency, had gone to Tehatta to attend a party meeting after informing the police, according to a video message posted by her on X.
“We are at the Tehatta party office. You can see, we are under police protection, and the court has said no one will throw eggs. They brought eggs right in front of the police. Look at this, all of you. What is happening right in front of the police? Police are present, and right in front of the police, they are trying to throw eggs—this is contempt of the High Court,” she was heard saying in the video.
Broken eggshells could be seen on Moitra’s face in the clip.
She alleged that seven to 10 BJP workers, including the local Mandal president and the president and vice-president of the panchayat samiti, entered the area where her programme was being held and began throwing eggs at her.
“According to the court’s direction, four police personnel were with me. During the attack, more police personnel came, but instead of controlling the protesters, they forcibly put me into the car. This is what is happening in West Bengal! The high court is saying this should not happen,” she said.
Moitra also went live on Facebook during the confrontation and questioned how eggs could be thrown at her in the presence of police personnel.
The TMC MP alleged that the protesters also raised “Jai Shri Ram” slogans while throwing eggs at her.
Moitra later invoked a recent Supreme Court observation on her apprehension of eggs being thrown at her, and posted on X, “Big shout out to Hon’ble Justice Dipankar Datta! MiLord – I came to my constituency for a mtng informing [@WBPolice] & BJP workers with their help pelted eggs on me. True to your advice I faced them as a freedom fighter faced bullets.”
The reference was to an August 7 Supreme Court hearing on Moitra’s plea challenging a Calcutta High Court direction requiring her to appear before the police in connection with a hate-speech case.
The apex court was informed that there had been threats that eggs would be thrown at her and that threat was carried out during a visit to her constituency.
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu then observed orally, “You are a Member of Parliament. Having taken the plunge into politics, you fear eggs? When our freedom fighters have taken bullets on their chest? These are applications that should not come before this court at all,” the bench said.
Wednesday’s incident has given a fresh political context to Moitra’s earlier apprehension, with the TMC MP now alleging that eggs were thrown at her despite the presence of police personnel.
The latest confrontation comes days after Moitra faced a BJP protest in Nadia’s Chapra area, where demonstrators had waved black flags and raised “go back” slogans as she left a party meeting.
The repeated protests have added a combative edge to Moitra’s political engagements in Nadia, with rival camps trading allegations over attempts to disrupt political programmes.
Moitra’s allegations also put the spotlight on the role of the police during the confrontation, particularly her claim that officers took her away from the spot while protesters continued their demonstration.
The BJP is yet to respond to the incident.
