The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo moto cognisance of the alleged derogatory remark made by TMC MP Mahua Moitra against its chairperson Rekha Sharma and sought an FIR against her.
This came a day after the TMC, commenting on a video posted on X showing the NCW chairperson's arrival at the site of a stampede that recently took place in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, wrote, "She is too busy holding up her boss's pajamas".
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Government's Special Investigation Team probing the Hathras stampede has recorded statements of 90 people so far, SIT chief Anupam Kulshrestha said on Friday.
Kulshrestha, also the Additional Director General of Police (Agra Zone), is leading the three-member SIT team.
It has been tasked with preparing a detailed report on the July 2 stampede at a 'satsang' here that claimed 121 lives.
On the status of the police probe, the officer said the ambit of the investigation has been expanded as more evidence has emerged.
"Definitely, the gathered evidence suggests culpability on the part of the event organisers," she said.
With the probe continuing in the case, the senior IPS officer insisted the "conspiracy angle" cannot be ruled out.
"Those culpable will definitely face legal action," Kulshrestha said.
She said the Hathras police arrested six volunteers (members of the satsang organising committee) on Thursday and "more arrests are likely soon".
The ADG told PTI that more suspects whose role is under the scanner in the case are also being questioned.
"Searches are underway for the main accused (Devprakash Madhukar)," she added.
Meanwhile, in Lucknow, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been apprised of the initial SIT report on the stampede.
An FIR in the matter was lodged on July 2 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by the public servant) and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence).
The State Government had on Wednesday formed a three-member judicial commission headed by a retired high court judge to probe the Hathras tragedy and to look into the possibility of a conspiracy behind the stampede.
In a development, the NCW said in a social media post, "The crude remarks are outrageous and a violation of a woman's right to dignity. The Commission observed that this remark attracts Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023."
The NCW said it strongly condemns the defamatory remarks and requests strict action against Moitra. "An FIR should be registered against Moitra and a detailed action report should be communicated to the Commission within 3 days," the NCW wrote.
The BJP also criticised TMC MP Mahua Moitra over her comments and demanded that she be "sacked" from her party.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla termed Moitra's comment on the microblogging site as "extremely indecent, objectionable and shameful", and said this is the "true face" of the TMC and the opposition parties' INDIA bloc.
"MP Mahua Moitra who justified and remained silent during Sandeshkhali, Chopra Talibani flogging, silent on Swati Maliwal now makes a disgusting comment at a women that too the NCW Chief," he charged.
Posting a screenshot of Moitra's comment on social media against the NCW chief, the BJP spokesperson demanded that she should be sacked by the TMC.
The BJP spokesperson also targeted the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the TMC MP's comment and asked, "Will Priyanka Vadra, Rahul Gandhi, (Mallikarjun) Kharge ji, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Chaturvedi, AAP call this out?"
"Will Mamata Didi act on her? Nope, just like they remained silent on Sandeshkhali and (flogging of a couple) in Chopra (West Bengal)," he added.
