‘Dangerous Fascism’: Mahua Moitra Makes Her Mark In 1st LS Speech

TMC MP Mahua Moitra drew attention to seven indicators showing “there is a danger of fascism rising in India”.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

(Photo Courtesy: Lok Sabha TV screengrab)

First-time parliamentarian Mahua Moitra, of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), was highly critical of the BJP in her maiden Lok Sabha speech on Tuesday, 25 June, drawing attention to seven indicators that show "there is a danger of fascism rising in India".

The MP from West Bengal’s Krishnanagar was making the speech to oppose the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, and drew attention to issues including ‘superficial nationalism, disdain for human rights, media control, obsession with national security, the intertwining of religion and government, disdain for intellectuals and the arts, and the erosion of independence in the electoral system’ in her address, reported Scroll.

She also referred to a poster in the Holocaust Museum in the US, which includes these indicators.

Moitra also accused the BJP of spreading fear across the country since 2014 and politicising the issue of 2.77 acres of land (in Ayodhya).

“The BJP is mixing religion with citizenship. Through the National Register for Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship Amendment Bill, only one community is being targeted,” Moitra charged, adding even school textbooks are being changed to indoctrinate students.

She said there is an erosion of electoral system and a "dangerous fascism" rising in India under the BJP.

Holding that the Constitution was under threat, Moitra said there were signs everywhere that the country was being torn apart.

Citizens were being thrown out of their homes, she claimed. Lynching of young citizens, she said, was taking place and drew the attention of members to the lynching of Tabrez Ansari in Jharkhand.

She also alleged the five large media houses in India were directly or indirectly being controlled by a single man.

BJP Retorts

BJP member Nishikant Dubey objected to Moitra's reference to 2.77 acre land and NRC in her speech, saying the two issues are pending before the Supreme Court.

To this, TMC leader Saugata Roy attacked Dubey saying his objections were "bogus".

“He has been put up by the Government to obstruct the opposition. He is using the green book (Lok Sabha rule book) without understanding to impede opposition speech,” Roy said.

In his defence, Dubey said Roy had become "so blind in defending Mamata Banerjee that he cannot read Lok Sabha rules"

‘Rousing Maiden Speech’: Twitter Full of Praise for Mahua Moitra

Soon after Moitra's speech, many on Twitter were full of praise for the parliamentarian, with one calling it a "stunningly clear-eyed articulation of the spirit of dissent".

(With inputs from PTI and Scroll.)