Mahua Moitra backs Maktoob Media amid WB Police FIR row
Synopsis
TMC MP Mahua Moitra publicly backed Maktoob Media on September 25, 2026, urging the platform to reinstate a report alleging two Muslim IPS officers and one IAS officer were excluded from a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, after West Bengal Police filed FIRs over the story.
Key Takeaways
TMC MP Mahua Moitra publicly urged Maktoob Media not to bow to West Bengal Police pressure on September 25, 2026 .
The disputed report alleged two Muslim IPS officers and one IAS officer were excluded from a meeting involving Union Home Minister Amit Shah .
FIRs were reportedly registered by West Bengal Police in connection with the media report.
Moitra stated the exclusion 'is fact' and noted police 'could not take down' her own post on X.
The identities of the specific officers, the exact date of the meeting, and FIR details remain unverified from public record.
Neither the Union Home Ministry nor the West Bengal government has publicly responded to the exclusion allegation.
A press freedom flashpoint erupted on Friday, September 25, 2026, when TMC MP Mahua Moitra publicly urged digital outlet Maktoob Media not to capitulate to what she called bullying by the West Bengal Police — after the platform faced police action over a report alleging that two Muslim IPS officers and one IAS officer were excluded from a meeting involving Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The exclusion claim at the centre of the storm
Moitra's post was unambiguous: 'It is fact and they can't deny it.' She called on Maktoob Media to reinstate a story that, she alleged, was taken down under pressure following FIRs registered by the West Bengal Police. The core claim — that three officers from Muslim backgrounds were kept out of an official meeting with the Home Minister — carries significant political charge given the state's fractious BJP-TMC relationship.
Moitra added pointedly that 'they could not take down my tweet,' signalling her intent to keep the allegation in public view regardless of action against the outlet. The research background does not confirm the specific identities of the officers, the exact date of the meeting, or the precise grounds cited in the FIRs — those details remain unverified.
West Bengal Police, FIRs, and the press-freedom question
The registration of FIRs against a media report — rather than a rebuttal through official channels — is the thread that makes this story run beyond partisan politics. Independent media organisations and press-freedom advocates have long flagged the use of police action as a tool to chill reporting in politically sensitive states. Whether the FIRs here target the reporters, the outlet, or both is not yet confirmed.
Maktoob Media is a digital platform that has reported on minority community issues and governance matters. Its decision on whether to reinstate the story — under the public pressure Moitra is now generating — will be an early test of how much room independent digital outlets have to operate when state machinery and political controversy collide.
BJP-TMC friction over administrative access
This episode fits a documented pattern. Relations between the BJP-led central government and the TMC-led West Bengal government have repeatedly snagged on questions of policing, security coordination, and administrative access during visits by central ministers. Allegations of selective officer inclusion — or exclusion — during such meetings have surfaced in several opposition-governed states, but rarely with this combination of a named Home Minister, an identifiable media outlet, and a senior opposition MP willing to put her name to the specific claim on the record.
The Union Home Ministry has not commented publicly on the meeting's composition. The West Bengal government has also not formally responded to Moitra's assertion.
Point of View
With communal representation in administration as the live wire. The use of FIRs against a media outlet — rather than a formal denial — is the detail that will concern press-freedom observers, because it sets a precedent for how officer-exclusion allegations are contested. If Maktoob Media reinstates the story, it tests whether digital outlets can withstand state police pressure when backed by opposition political cover. The episode also hands Moitra a ready-made narrative linking central security apparatus, state police, and minority representation — a trifecta she has used effectively before.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Mahua Moitra say about Maktoob Media and the West Bengal Police?
Moitra publicly urged Maktoob Media not to capitulate to what she described as bullying and FIRs by West Bengal Police, insisting that the exclusion of two Muslim IPS officers and one IAS officer from an Amit Shah meeting 'is fact' and asking the outlet to reinstate its report.
Which officers were allegedly excluded from the Amit Shah meeting?
According to Moitra's post, two Muslim IPS officers and one IAS officer were excluded from the meeting. The specific identities of the officers have not been confirmed from verifiable public records.
Why did West Bengal Police file FIRs against Maktoob Media?
The FIRs were reportedly filed in connection with Maktoob Media's report on the alleged exclusion of Muslim officers from the meeting. The precise grounds cited in the FIRs have not been publicly confirmed.
Has the Union Home Ministry responded to the exclusion allegations?
As of September 25, 2026, neither the Union Home Ministry nor the West Bengal government has issued a public statement addressing the allegation that Muslim officers were excluded from the Amit Shah meeting.
What is Maktoob Media and why is it significant in this controversy?
Maktoob Media is a digital platform that reports on minority community issues and governance matters. Its decision on whether to reinstate the disputed report under political and police pressure makes it a focal point in a broader debate about press freedom in politically contested states.
