On July 4, NCW chief Rekha Sharma went to Hathras to meet the women who were injured in the tragic stampede that claimed 121 lives. Videos showed the NCW chief at the stampede site with someone holding an umbrella for her.
Reacting to the video, several users on social media wondered why the NCW chief could not hold the umbrella herself. Mahua Moitra reacted to one such post and took potshots at the NCW chief. “She’s too busy holding up her boss’s pajamas,” the Trinamool MP wrote attacking Rekha Sharma, who is often accused by opposition parties of working for and at the behest of the BJP-led NDA government.
Mahua Moitra’s snide remarks evoked strong reaction from Rekha Sharma, who called the TMC MP a “troll”. “She is not interested in her work but just trolling people, and I don’t give my time to trollers,” the NCW chief said attacking Mahua Moitra. Rekha Sharma also clarified about the incident and said she was not inside the umbrella. “I didn’t ask for it nor did I realised that someone is carrying umbrella as there was so much rush & I was engrossed in the situation & talking to people,” the NCW chief said in a post.
Sharma also wroe letters to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora over Moitra’s remark.
NCW seeks FIR against Mahua Moitra
The National Commission for Women later took suo moto cognizance of Mahua Moitra’s derogatory remarks and sought an FIR against the Trinamool MP.
“The National Commission for Women has taken suo moto cognizance of the derogatory remark made by Ms. Mahua Moitra, Member of Parliament, against Ms. Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, NCW. The crude remarks are outrageous and a violation of a woman’s right to dignity. The Commission observed that this remark attracts Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023. NCW strongly condemns these defamatory remarks and requests strict action against Ms. Moitra. An FIR should be registered against Ms. Moitra and a detailed action report should be communicated to the Commission within 3 days,” the NCW said in a post tagging Delhi Police.
‘Am in Nadia, in case you need me’
However, the Trinamool leader remained defiant and undeterred by NCW’s FIR threat. “Come on @DelhiPolice please take action immediately on these suo moto orders. Am in Nadia in case you need me in the next 3 days to make a quick arrest. I Can Hold My Own Umbrella,” Mahua wrote on X, responding to NCW’s tweet on her remarks.
‘Manifestations of depraved mindset’
The BJP, meanwhile, reacted strongly to Mahua’s attack on the NCW chief. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called the TMC leader’s remarks disgusting and demanded that she should be sacked. “MP Mahua Moitra who justified & remained silent during Sandeshkhali, Chopra Talibani flogging , silent on Swati Maliwal now makes a disgusting comment at another women that too the NCW Chief! Imagine if a BJP MP had said this.. all hell would break loose!! MAHUA MOITRA SHOULD BE SACKED BY TMC!” the BJP leader said in a post on X.
“Will Priyanka Vadra,Rahul Gandhi, Kharge ji, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Chaturvedi, AAP call this out ? Will Mamata Didi act on her ? Nope ?? just like they remained silent on Sandeshkhali & Chopra,” Poonawalla said.
BJP leader Amit Malviya called it an example of the Trinamool leader’s “depraved mindset.” He also questioned if Mahua Moitra was speaking from her own experience. “Mamata Banerjee’s MP keeps it classy. Not sure if it is an acquired insight or lived. But #Sandeshkhali and Chopra are manifestations of this kind of depraved mindset,” Amit Malviya said in his post on X.
(With inputs from agencies)