FIR Registered Against TMC MP Mahua Moitra in Raipur Over Remarks on Amit Shah

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has been booked in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, for allegedly making "objectionable and unconstitutional" remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, police officials confirmed on Saturday.

An FIR has been lodged at Mana Police Station under Sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds such as religion, race, language, etc.) and 197 (statements prejudicial to national integration) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The complaint was filed by Gopal Samanto, who claimed that Moitra’s remarks were inflammatory and could disrupt communal harmony.

According to the FIR, Ms. Moitra, while addressing reporters last week in Nadia district, West Bengal, allegedly said: “If Amit Shah fails to stop infiltration from Bangladesh, the first thing you should do is cut his head and put it on your table.” The remarks triggered widespread political criticism and led to demands for legal action.

The complainant, Gopal Samanto, identified himself as a Bengali and stated that such comments could incite communal tension and backlash against Bengalis in other parts of the country. He claimed the statement was provocative and hurtful to the sentiments of various communities.

In response, Mahua Moitra addressed the controversy through a video posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on August 30. Referring to the uproar as “Mundu Kata Hoo Haa” (Bengali for "hullabaloo around head-cutting"), she clarified that her remarks were figurative and not meant to be taken literally. She also recited a satirical poem by renowned Bengali poet Sukumar Ray to emphasize the idiomatic nature of her language.

The case has sparked another round of political debate, with critics accusing the TMC MP of crossing the line, while her supporters argue that her speech was taken out of context and misrepresented for political gain.