Was it an amateur mistake, a mere irregularity, or a criminal misuse of privilege in the effort to malign the Prime Minister? It was certainly disrespectful to the august institution that she was part of. It is possible that she could have got away with a rap on the knuckles had she not continued to brazenly behave as though she had a special privilege to do what she liked, to hell with the rules. She tried to use the ‘woman’ card against the Ethics Committee and demanded that the rules should suit her needs. Mahua Moitra has proved to be a typical member of the privileged ‘elite’ that believes it may march to the beat of a different drum.
Her expulsion from the Lok Sabha was inevitable as there is no way that such disrespect can be tolerated. If constitutional institutions and the government were to begin kowtowing to such challenges, they might as well give up on their responsibilities. Going by her reaction and that of other opposition parties, it would seem they consider it a cause celebre they intend to exploit in the coming General Elections. She expects her constituents to give her a thumping majority in the next round in support of her behaviour.
After initial hesitation even from her own party, almost the entire opposition has rallied to her cause, including the venerable Sonia Gandhi. They are determined to fight the BJP to the last drop of her blood. Further aggravation may lead to a criminal investigation into the whys and wherefores of her sharing confidential log-in details. Jail time may be approaching.
Moitra can, of course, approach the Supreme Court, but that would be at her own peril. It could easily recoil on her in a big way. Also, she will need to watch her back even within the TMC, as neither Mamata Banerjee nor Abhishek Banerjee are going to be too pleased if her profile acquires greater proportions in the public mind. Too much popularity may come to be considered a threat to their leadership. Politics is a difficult game and throwing tantrums is only a part of it.
Public representatives need to be held accountable if democracy has to work. After all, former British PM Boris Johnson only threw a party. He is presently being raked over the coals for the sense of entitlement that made him think he could do that in Covid times. These are not ‘victims’ – they are better classified as ‘spoiled brats’ with a misplaced sense of entitlement.
