Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has been booked by the Delhi Police for her allegedly derogatory social media post about National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma, PTI reported on Sunday.
The Lok Sabha MP from West Bengal’s Krishnanagar was booked for work, gesture or act intending to outrage modesty of a woman, under section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, The Indian Express reported.
On Friday, the National Commission for Women had filed a police complaint against Moitra for her allegedly derogatory remarks about Sharma.
The Opposition MP had on Thursday commented on a video on posted on social media platform X showing the commission’s chief visiting the site of a stampede in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras. The video showed an assistant holding an umbrella over Sharma while it rained.
Journalist Nidhi Razdan had reacted to the video on the platform asking: “Why can’t she carry her own umbrella?”
Replying to Razdan’s post, Moitra had commented: “She’s too busy holding up her boss’s pajamas.”
Moitra later deleted the post.
On Friday, the National Commission for Women stated: “These [Moitra’s] remarks violate women’s dignity and attract Section 79 [word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of women] of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023.”
The National Commission for Women also sought an action taken report from the Delhi Police within three days.
The statutory body, which comes under the purview of the Union government, also wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla condemning Moitra’s remarks, saying that it is “unbecoming” of the legislator’s stature.
The commission urged Birla to look into the matter and take action against Moitra. “These crude remarks are not only outrageous but also a severe violation of a woman’s right to dignity,” the National Commission for Women said.
Moitra reacted to the commission’s allegations on Friday.
“Come on Delhi Police please take action immediately on these suo moto orders,” the Opposition leader said in a post on X. “Am in Nadia in case you need me in the next 3 days to make a quick arrest. I can hold my own umbrella.”
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