Mahua Moitra, a Member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress, has demanded a no-fly list ban for passengers who harassed her on an IndiGo flight [1, 2].
The incident highlights growing concerns regarding the safety of public officials and the boundaries of political protest within confined commercial spaces.
Moitra was traveling from Kolkata to New Delhi when a group of men began shouting "Chor, chor… Trinamool chor" [1, 2, 3]. The passengers filmed the MP while chanting the slogans, which translate to calling her and her party thieves. Moitra said the behavior created an intimidating environment that threatened her safety [1, 3].
Following the encounter, Moitra called for action from the airline and civil aviation authorities. She characterized the event as a targeted attack rather than a spontaneous expression of political disagreement. "This is harassment, not citizen anger," Moitra said [3].
In her formal response to the event, the MP sought a permanent penalty for those involved to prevent future occurrences. "We demand a permanent no‑fly list ban for the offenders," Moitra said [1].
While the specific date of the incident was not detailed in the reports, the event took place in 2024 [1]. The MP has used the viral footage of the encounter to bring attention to the need for stricter enforcement of passenger conduct rules on domestic flights.
“"This is harassment, not citizen anger."”
This incident underscores the increasing volatility of political confrontations in India, where digital filming and public shaming are frequently used to target officials. By requesting a no-fly list ban, Moitra is attempting to shift the narrative from political criticism to a violation of aviation safety and personal security, potentially prompting airlines to tighten their policies on passenger harassment.
