Mahua Moitra complained to Lok Sabha Speaker over evacuation of circuit house at night

Kolkata, August 15: Mahua Moitra, the Member of Parliament from Krishnanagar parliamentary constituency in West Bengal, has alleged that on the evening of Independence Day, the district administration asked her to vacate the circuit house in Nadia, while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers gheraoed her house and raised slogans.

In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Moitra alleged that at 9:45 pm, she was asked to vacate the circuit house. Meanwhile, BJP workers allegedly gheraoed the building and raised slogans against her. She said in the letter that the incident has raised serious questions about the safety and dignity of women MPs.

She also hinted that she may approach the Calcutta High Court and said she would move a privilege motion in the Lok Sabha on Monday. Moitra stated in the letter that she had arrived at the circuit house at around 6:15 pm on Friday. She was served tea at around 7 pm and dinner at 9:20 pm. She said that at 9:47 pm, she received a call from the Additional District Magistrate of Nadia, asking her to vacate the building.

In the letter, it was stated, "When I asked for the reason, I was told that orders had come from 'above'." She said the district administration sent her a copy of the order via WhatsApp at 10:52 pm, citing an annual cleaning drive as the reason for canceling her room booking. The MP said in the letter that her booking was new and she was not informed about any such action by the administration at the time of booking or arriving at the circuit house.

She questioned the timing of the administration's action and asked why she was informed about it only at night if there was a prior directive to stop new bookings. Moitra said that MPs are given priority in matters of security and accommodation. Citing the protocol of the Ministry of Home Affairs, she said that MPs are placed 21st on the priority list.

She argued that no MP visiting their parliamentary constituency should be asked to vacate a circuit house under such circumstances. Moitra appealed to the Lok Sabha Speaker to investigate the matter and take appropriate action. She said the incident raises questions about women's safety.