Mahua Moitra Expulsion Report By Ethics Committee Tabled In Parliament (image: facebook.com/MahuaMoitraOfficial)
Fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and businessman Gautam Adani Mahua Moitra was expelled from the Parliament without giving a chance to respond in the Lok Sabha to the allegations levelled against her. In the fifth day of the current Parliament Winter Session on Friday, the Parliament Ethics Committee report formulated on the “cash-for-query” case against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra is scheduled to be discussed in the Lok Sabha. The report was tabled in the house by Ethics panel Chairman and BJP MP Vijay Sonkar.
The 500-page report suggests Mahua Moitra’s expulsion from the Parliament. The recommendation, however, resulted a clash between ruling BJP and the opposition and latter demanded a discussion on the issue in the floor. As the row created adjournment of the house, the proceedings will resume at 2 PM. The voice vote in the house on the basis of panel”s report will determine Mahua Moitra”s future as a parliamentarian.
Meanwhile, BJP on Thursday issued a whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House on Friday, “as some very important legislative business will be taken up for discussion and to support the government”s stand,” BJP official release stated alluding to the discussion on the ethics panel”s recommendation of expelling Mahua Moitra from the house.
The cash-for-query allegation directed at TMC MP began when BJP MP Nishikant Dubey filed a complaint claiming that Mahua Moitra has received bribes and favours for asking questions in the Parliament targeting Adani group at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani. BJP MP also alleges that TMC leader had misused her parliamentary login and id by allowing Mr Hiranandani to post questions on her behalf. She acknowledged that she had shared her parliament credentials with businessman Darshan Hiranandani, but claimed questions were hers and refuted the cash-for-query allegations.
The Parliamentary Ethics Committee began examining the case on October 26, and TMC MP appeared before the panel in November. However, she along with opposition members walked out the meeting alleging that chairperson asked her personal and indecent questions. The ethics panel consisted of 15 members, at a meeting on November 9, adopted following major recommendations:
“The serious misdemeanours on the part of Mahua Moitra calls for severe punishment. The Committee, therefore, recommend that Mahua Moitra, MP may be expelled from the Membership of the Seventeenth Lok Sabha.”
“In view of highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal conduct of Mahua Moitra, the Committee recommends for an intense, legal, institutional inquiry by the Government of India in a time-bound manner.”
Six members in the panel voted in support of the report while four opposition members voiced against it and cited the report as the report a “fixed match”.
