Mahua Moitra Dragged From Krishi Bhawan: What Happened Exactly?

On the night of October 3, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, and numerous other party officials were arrested following their sit-in protest at the Union Rural Development Ministry office in New Delhi. Their protest aimed to secure a meeting with MoS Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti.

Leader Shares Ordeal 

MP Moitra sharing the disturbing video of being dragged by the female officers on X, formerly Twitter wrote, "This is how elected MPs of the world’s largest democracy are treated after being given an appointment to meet with a Minister of the Govt of India (which she refused to honour after making us wait 3 hours). Shame @narendramodi, shame @AmitShah."

This is how elected MPs of the world’s largest democracy are treated after being given an appointment to meet with a Minister of the Govt of India (which she refused to honour after making us wait 3 hours)

Shame @narendramodi shame @AmitShah pic.twitter.com/cmx6ZzFxBu

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) October 3, 2023

Moitra's Allegations On BJP

Moitra, serving as the Lok Sabha MP representing Krishnanagar, asserted that the Central government is collecting taxes from West Bengal but not fulfilling its financial obligations to the state. She emphasised that their purpose in coming was not to plead but to assert their rights. Moitra, a prominent leader, stated, "Mamata Banerjee is not just fighting for Bengal; she's fighting for the people of the entire country."

The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has accused the BJP-led NDA government of withholding Rs 15,000 crore owed to the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and PM Awas Yojana. In response, the BJP has dismissed these allegations and accused the TMC of staging a "drama" in Delhi as a distraction from the scandals in West Bengal.

Why Was The Action Taken?

The situation escalated as the ongoing dispute between the Central government and the West Bengal administration over the disbursement of funds to the state intensified. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) continued its protests in the national capital for the second consecutive day. Moitra, Banerjee, along with TMC lawmakers, state ministers, and supporters, which included MGNREGA workers, staged a protest at Jantar Mantar.

This followed a two-hour sit-in at Rajghat on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, which was dispersed by the police. Subsequently, they organized a march to the Krishi Bhavan, which houses the Rural Development Ministry, for a scheduled meeting with Minister of State Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti.

Suggested Reading: Mahua Moitra Uses Abusive Language In Parliament: 10 Things To Know