In a heated session today, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha for what was termed as “unethical conduct.” The expulsion followed the adoption of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee recommendation in the ‘cash-for-query’ matter.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi initiated the motion for the discussion on the panel’s report, seeking Moitra’s expulsion. The decision was met with strong resistance from Opposition members, who accused the BJP-led government of engaging in ‘vendetta politics.’
“I am 49 years old; I will fight you for the next 30 years inside Parliament, outside Parliament,” remarked Moitra defiantly after her expulsion.
The controversy deepened as Opposition members claimed they had not received copies of the Ethics Committee report related to the “cash-for-query” complaint against Moitra. While Trinamool members urged Speaker Om Birla to allow Moitra to speak, the BJP MP argued that such permission would be “unethical,” citing precedents in similar cases.
The Ethics Committee report was tabled in the Lok Sabha, leading to a ruckus and the adjournment of the house for two hours. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor criticized the process, calling it “incredibly inadequate,” pointing to the alleged speed at which the report was adopted.
The primary allegation against Moitra involves receiving gifts in cash and kind from real estate developer Darshan Hiranandani for posing questions in Parliament targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and businessman Gautam Adani. Moitra is also accused of sharing her Lok Sabha ID and password with Hiranandani.
The expulsion of lawmakers from Parliament has historical precedence. In 2005, 11 MPs faced similar charges of taking bribes for posing questions. The Lok Sabha expelled 10 members, while the Supreme Court upheld the Parliament’s decision in 2007.
