BJP MP seeks privilege motion against Mahua Moitra for Parliament speech on ex-CJI

A day after it seemed like the government has decided not to pursue any action against her, media reports quoting sources said that the ruling BJP decided to move the motion after Mahua Moitra shared video clips of her controversial remarks in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

PP Chowdhary, a former Minister of State for Law, put in the request for privilege motion.

Reacting to the news, Moitra said she cannot be bullied to silence with threats of privilege motions.

On Monday evening, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi had said a privilege motion could be moved against Mahua Moitra for her remarks - seen to target former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

The action would come under a rule that says that a member "shall not reflect upon the conduct of persons in high authority unless the discussion is based on a substantive motion drawn in proper terms."

However, legal options are in favour of Moitra as she spoke about a former judge and not a sitting one.

In response to no action against her, Moitra on Tuesday tweeted: "What? No action? Just when I was gearing up to fight the good fight."

Earlier, putting out a defiant tweet, Moitra wrote: "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 comments, which caused a furore in the Lok Sabha, were expunged as: "These remarks are against the judiciary."

Speaking at the Parliament, Moitra had said: "The sacred cow that was the judiciary is no longer sacred. It stopped being sacred day a sitting CJI was accused of sexual harassment, presided over own trial, cleared himself & accepted a nomination to  Upper House within 3 months of retirement replete with Z+ security cover."