Parliament News Updates: High drama is underway at Lok Sabha after the members voted in favour of the motion, leading to expulsion of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in connection with cash-for-query case.
“The ethics committee, without getting to the root of the case, decided to hang me. It refused to summon the businessman to testify, and there is np evidence of any cash or any gifts,” she said outside the Parliament as Opposition leaders stood behind her in support.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already filed a PE in the case. A PE is the precursor and formal enquiry into any matter for CBI to decide whether it wants to convert it into a regular case (a first information report) based on available evidence or close it.
Before the proceeding began, sources had told News18 that the Opposition will stage a walkout once the resolution is brought. Some reports stated that their leaders were expected to ask for a division of votes on the report.
Meanwhile, BJP had issued a whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs. Congress too had issued a three-line whip to all its Lower House parliamentarians. The report was likely to be tabled around noon. However, after being adjourned twice, the motion — moved by Union minister Pralhad Joshi — was passed around 3pm.
Latest Updates on Parliament Action:
• When Mahua Moitra was asked for a reaction before tabling of the report, the TMC MP on Friday said, “What do you think will happen? Mother Durga has arrived, we will see. They’ve started ‘vastra haran’, and now we’ve to see the Mahabharat.” Moitra was referring to ancient Indian epic of ‘Mahabharat’, which translates to the ‘Great Epic of the Bharat Dynasty’. Several events led to this great war. According to many believers, one of the main reason for the downfall of the Kauravas was ‘cheer haran‘ or ‘vastra haran‘ of Draupadi.
• Moitra also equated her expulsion with hanging by a “kangaroo court” and alleged a parliamentary panel is being weaponized by the government to force the opposition into submission. Minutes after her expulsion as a Lok Sabha member, Moitra said she has been found guilty of breaching a code of ethics that does not exist and that there was no evidence of cash or gift given to her.
• “During the UPA government in 2005, a report was presented and 10 Lok Sabha members were expelled on same day,” BJP MP Hina Gavit said on the expulsion of Mahua Moitra.
• BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, who is also a member of Ethics Committee, said, “Most of us have seen the report submitted. This report was prepared after due diligence. We heard the complainant and defendant at length. Opportunity was given to complainant and defendant.”
• “This is a lesson to all MPs that when we become MPs and take an oath, we’re supposed to follow certain rules. The whole country is watching us. In Mahua Moitra’s case, immorality was visible… this is the reason why she was expelled from Lok Sabha,” Aparajita Sarangi added.
• Reacting to the expulsion, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the opposition is united and TMC is fully supporting Mahua Moitra. “Even the self defence… they did not allow Mahua to say. They ditched the constitution because they have majority,” Mamata said attacking opposition.
• Before the winter session began on Friday, Congress Lok Sabha chief whip K Suresh told reporters, “Today, the ethics committee report is being tabled. It is already included in the List of Business in Lok Sabha. Let us see what report are they going to table in the House. If the report states expulsion of TMC MP Mahua Moitra, we will oppose it tooth and nail.”
• The matter was sent to the ethics committee after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Mahua’s former friend Jai Anant Dehadrai accused her of sharing login with her businessman friend Darshan Hiranandani based in Dubai. This was seen as violation of Parliament norms and national security threat. The TMC MP also reportedly received expensive gifts to ask questions about Adani and PM, “which would help her friend Darshan”.
• Mahua Moitra has denied all these charges. But if the House votes in favour of the panel’s recommendation, she can be expelled from Lok Sabha.
• The Congress has said it will oppose any motion to suspend or expel TMC’s Mahua Moitra. Its general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party feels there is a “political conspiracy” to harass and target Moitra and demanded a discussion on the issue in Parliament.
• Earlier this week, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee voiced support for Moitra on Monday, asserting that the party stands behind her. He also asserted that Moitra is fully capable of handling her battle.
• Last month, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee hinted at plans to expel Moitra from Parliament, suggesting that such action would benefit the Krishnanagar MP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Moitra was recently assigned the task of strengthening the party’s organisation in Nadia district, signalling clear support from the TMC.
• The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, chaired by BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar, submitted its report earlier this month, recommending Moitra’s expulsion for accepting “illegal gratifications” to raise questions in Parliament on behalf of the businessman.
• Mahua Moitra dismissed the decision as a “prefixed match by a kangaroo court” and deemed it a “death of parliamentary democracy.”
• Before Mahua hit headlines for bitter spat with her husband Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, whom the she referred to as her “jilted ex”, the TMC MP was in news over her former husband Lars Brorsan. During the police encounter of Umesh Pal murder accused Asad Ahmed and Mohammad Ghulam in April, Mahua took a jibe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath by calling him by his birth name — Ajay Singh Bisht. However, she got upset when a Twitter user called her “Mahua Moitra Lars Brorson” referring to her husband’s name.