Delhi Police has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against TMC Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra for her controversial social media comments about National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma, officials confirmed on Sunday.
Moitra has been booked under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to acts of intending to hurt the modesty of a woman. This is the first FIR lodged by the Delhi Police's Special Cell under the BNS, which came into effect from July 1.
"The controversy erupted over Moitra's remarks in a video of Sharma visiting a stampede site in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh on July 4, remarks she herself later deleted, referring to a man with an umbrella walking behind the NCW chief".
Reacting to the development, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, "If this is the culture of Bengal, can you blame Manu Sharma alone? Can you not blame Mamata Banerjee for not taking action against these people?".
A senior officer said the police commissioner filed the FIR after receiving a complaint from the NCW. "The commission is tasked with overseeing matters of women's rights and safeguarding the same," said the officer, citing the FIR's substance.
The NCW took suo motu cognizance of the matter and criticized Moitra's comments as being derogatory. "The crude remarks made by Moitra are very outrageous and a sheer violation of a woman's right to live with dignity," the FIR emphasized.
The NCW also noted that such comments by Moitra fell under Section 79 of the BNS, and viewed it as strongly condemning her with an appeal for strict action. The commission handed a report on the action details to the police for action within three days.
Soon after the hitting controversy was sparked, BJP made a shrill demand for her expulsion from TMC. After the booking of Moitra, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla tweeted, "Case lodged against TMC MP Mahua Moitra. She is accused of hurting the dignity of a woman."
He also criticized other opposition leaders' and parties' silence over it, compared with the previous cases on women's rights.
Earlier, the NCW had also condemned Moitra's comments and said it was violative of a woman's dignity, in demand of an FIR and quick police action.
Moitra had asked Delhi Police to act on the suo moto directions issued by the NCW without any delay. Taking a dig at the issue, she had tweeted, "Come on Delhi Police, please take action immediately on these suo moto orders. Am in Nadia in case you need me in the next three days to make a quick arrest."
On another post, Moitra called for FIRs against the posts made by Sharma and criticized Delhi Police for not taking such actions against other offenders under the same law.
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