No action against Mahua Moitra for LS speech criticising ex-CJI

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra may escape censure over her remarks on a former chief justice of India (CJI) in parliament recently.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi had on Monday (February 8) hinted at moving a breach of privilege motion against Moitra for her remarks, apparently aimed at Ranjan Gogoi. The comments have since been expunged.

“Raising the issue of the Ram Mandir judgment [the Ayodhya temple-mosque verdict] and bringing the then chief justice and other things, it’s a serious matter and we’re thinking of taking appropriate measures,” Joshi was quoted as telling new agency ANI.

Also read: Supreme Court on media reporting: ‘Freedom of speech most abused liberty’

Moitra did not apologise for her remarks over the sexual harassment allegations that had been made against the ex-CJI. Instead she tweeted: “It would be a privilege indeed if a breach of privilege motion is initiated against me for speaking the truth during India’s darkest hour.”

Moitra’s case, however, was legally sound since she had commented on a former, not sitting, chief justice who currently does not count as a “higher authority”, sources told NDTV.

Although she refrained from naming Gogoi, in her speech during the Motion of Thanks to president’s address on Monday, she noted that the judiciary was no longer a “sacred cow” because a “sitting chief justice of this country was accused of sexual harassment, presided over his own trial, cleared himself and then proceeded to accept a nomination to the Upper House of Parliament within three months of his retirement replete with Z plus security”.