Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra was on Friday (December 8) expelled from the Lok Sabha over the ‘cash-for-query’ allegation in which Moitra has been accused of receiving bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to target the Adani Group.
The Lok Sabha passed a resolution to expel Mahua Moitra based on the report of the Ethics Committee over the ‘cash-for-query’ complaint.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi, tabled the resolution to expel Moitra, based on the Committee’s finding.
The resolution was passed by a voice vote in the lower house.
After her expulsion, the opposition members walked out of the Lok Sabha.
Earlier, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla did not permit Mahua Moitra to speak in the House on the Ethics Committee recommendation, saying “she got an opportunity at the panel meeting”.
Outside the House, Moitra said: “The Ethics Committee has no power to expel. This is the beginning of BJP’s end.” “You hate minorities, you hate women,” she said attacking the Modi government.
Ethics panel findings are solely based on written testimonies of two persons whose versions contradict each other in material terms.
Mahua Moitra
On November 6, the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha recommended the expulsion of TMC MP from the house over the cash for query allegations.
The committee also recommended an “intense, legal, institutional inquiry” by the government in a time-bound manner because of the “highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal conduct” by her.
Following her expulsion, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee called the move a vindictive politics of the BJP.
“I am telling you that Mahua (Moitra) is a victim of the circumstances. I strongly condemn it…Our party will fight along with the INDIA alliance…It is unfortunate for the democracy,” she said, quoted the ANI.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP claimed that Mahua Moitra had jeopardised national security by sharing her login details and password with Hiranandani.
Mahua Moitra faced the allegations of asking questions in Lok Sabha to target Gautam Adani at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani.
The TMC MP has denied charges of taking bribes but admitted to sharing her parliamentary log-in details with Hiranandani.