‘Stalling tricks to buy time’: TMC MP Mahua Moitra slams Centre over SC hearing on sedition law

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mahua Moitra, who has often been outwardly critical of the BJP government, has slammed the Centre for using “stalling tricks to buy time” during the Supreme Court hearing regarding the sedition law.

Soon after the central government appealed to the Supreme Court bench to defer the hearing, asking for time to re-examine the sedition law, the TMC MP took to Twitter to slam the BJP government for “buying time” in the case.

Taking to Twitter, Moitra said, “Hilarious how Centre using usual stalling tricks to buy time in the sedition case. 150 years of law & 7 yrs of Modi govt with no change & now suddenly on eve of SC hearing GoI is all for civil liberties! Confident SC will decide the matter once & for all.”

Hilarious how Centre using usual stalling tricks to buy time in sedition case. 150 years of law & 7 yrs of Modi govt with no change & now suddenly on eve of SC hearing GoI is all for civil liberties!
Confident SC will decide matter once & for all.

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) May 9, 2022

This came just hours after the Supreme Court hearing on the sedition law, where the Centre asked for more time to “re-examine and reconsider the rationality” of the sedition law. The central government further asked the court bench to defer the hearing.

The Centre’s request came just a few days after it requested the Supreme Court to dismiss the plea filed by petitioners challenging the specifics of the sedition law, which falls under Section 124A of the constitution.

With the aim to preserve the sovereignty and integrity of the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his clear and unequivocal views in favour of the protection of civil liberties, respect for human rights and giving meaning to constitutional freedoms, said Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday, defending the Centre’s call.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Rijiju said, "Prime Minister has asked for re-examining and reconsidering the provision of the sedition law. PM had urged to remove obsolete law so that sedition also becomes part of it. We will modify the law according to the need of the hour. We don’t believe in misusing the laws or any provisions of the law."

(With ANI inputs)

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