Mahua Moitra's Comments on Judge Loya's Death Sparks Uproar in Lok Sabha

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra’s remarks on the death of Judge B.H. Loya triggered a major uproar in the Lok Sabha on Friday, leading to heated exchanges between BJP and the Opposition. The comments, made during a debate on the 75th anniversary of the Indian Constitution, prompted Union Minister Kiren Rijiju to accuse her of reopening a matter already settled by the Supreme Court and warned of "appropriate parliamentary action."

Moitra’s Remarks and the Controversy

While participating in the debate, Moitra made a brief reference to Judge Loya’s death, calling it "long before his time." She also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of undermining democratic institutions and silencing opposition voices. The comment, though incidental, quickly escalated tensions in the House.

"Such remarks have no place in the House. It is highly inappropriate to raise an issue that has already been conclusively decided by the Supreme Court," said Rijiju, condemning Moitra’s statement.

Opposition from BJP MPs

Following Moitra’s speech, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey strongly objected to her comments, accusing her of insinuating foul play in Loya’s death. "By making such statements, she is trying to undermine the dignity of the judiciary," Dubey said, adding that Moitra’s comments were designed to tarnish the reputation of both the judiciary and Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, whom she had mentioned in connection with his reception of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence during the Ganapati festival.

Rijiju’s Strong Response

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju described Moitra’s remarks as "serious," pointing out that the Supreme Court had already examined the case in 2018. The Court had dismissed allegations of foul play in Judge Loya’s death, which occurred in 2014 while he was presiding over a politically sensitive case. "This matter has been conclusively resolved by the Supreme Court. Making such insinuations sets a dangerous precedent," Rijiju said. He also warned of "appropriate parliamentary action" in response to the remarks.

Speaker’s Assurance

In response to the uproar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla assured the members that he would review the records of Moitra’s speech before deciding on further action.

The Supreme Court’s Ruling

The Supreme Court had ruled in 2018 that Judge Loya’s death was due to natural causes, and it dismissed all related Public Interest Litigations (PILs) as baseless. The ruling had been a significant closure on the matter, but Moitra’s reference reopened old controversies, leading to the disruption in the Lok Sabha.