Condemn shameful, unacceptable treatment meted out to our MPs in Delhi: Mamata

Kolkata, Jan 9 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday condemned the treatment meted out to party MPs during a protest outside the Home Ministry's office in Delhi, calling it “shameful and unacceptable” and an “assault” on democratic rights.

Several Trinamool Congress MPs were on Friday detained while staging protests against alleged misuse of probe agencies by the Centre.

In a post on X, Banerjee said that “dragging elected representatives on the streets for exercising their democratic right to protest… is not law enforcement – it is arrogance in uniform,” asserting that India is “a democracy, not the BJP’s private property.” Stressing that democracy does not operate on the “convenience or comfort of those in power”, the CM accused the BJP of following a double standard, claiming that while its leaders expect “red carpets and special privileges” during protests, opposition MPs are “dragged, detained, and humiliated” for raising their voice.

“This double standard exposes the BJP’s idea of democracy — obedience, not dissent,” she said.

Asserting that respect between institutions and political actors must be mutual, Banerjee said, “You respect us, we respect you”.

Attempts to humiliate elected representatives would be met with a renewed assertion of “the constitutional idea of tolerance, dissent, and democratic morality”, she said.

“We are citizens by right, not at the mercy of a chair, a badge, or a position of power... No government, no party, and no Home Minister gets to decide who deserves dignity in a democracy,” the chief minister said. PTI PNT RBT