No Action Against Trinamool's Mahua Moitra For Parliament Speech After All

The government has decided not to pursue any action against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra over her remarks in parliament on a former Chief Justice of India.

Last 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 -- which have since been expunged.

"Raising the issue of the Ram Mandir judgment (the Ayodhya temple-mosque verdict) and bringing the then Chief Justice and other things, it's a serious matter and we're thinking of taking appropriate measures," Mr Joshi was quoted as telling new agency ANI.

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."

Mahua Moitra put out a defiant tweet. "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," she posted.

BJP MPs had objected to the Trinamool MP's remarks on grounds that retired Justice Gogoi was a Chief Justice.

But sources say legal opinion was in favour of Mahua Moitra as she spoke about a former, not sitting, Chief Justice who currently does not count as a "higher authority".

Ms Moitra's comments, which caused a furore in the Lok Sabha, were expunged and the reason was this: "These remarks are against the judiciary."

In a fiery speech, Ms Moitra also said, referring to the crackdown on farmer protests, that "India is in a state of undeclared emergency" and accused the government of making propaganda and disinformation "a cottage industry".