This Post Is Recently Updated on Dec 8, 2023 @ 19:11 pm by TBB Desk
In a significant political development, Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra, aged 49, has been expelled from the Lok Sabha. This decision follows an intensive investigation by the Ethics Committee into the serious ‘cash for query’ allegations levelled against her. The report accused Moitra of accepting bribes, including a substantial sum of ₹2 crore in cash and luxury gifts, from businessman Darshan Hiranandani. These accusations suggest that Moitra asked questions in Parliament that were critical of the government in return for these bribes.
The controversy deepened with allegations that Moitra surrendered her login credentials for a personal and confidential account on the parliamentary website to Hiranandani. This would have enabled him to post questions directly. Moitra, known for her fiery criticism of the Modi government, has denied the bribery allegations but has admitted to sharing the login details.
In a recent session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced the House’s acceptance of the Ethics Committee’s conclusion. Birla stated, “MP Mahua Moitra’s conduct was found to be immoral and indecent. Consequently, her continuation as an MP is deemed inappropriate.”
Bengal Chief Minister and Moitra’s party leader, Mamata Banerjee, has strongly condemned the expulsion. She labelled it as “unacceptable” and an instance of “vendetta politics” by the BJP, suggesting it as a blow to democracy. Banerjee’s remarks have added fuel to the political firestorm, especially in the context of the upcoming general election.
The Ethics Committee report, spanning nearly 500 pages, triggered heated debates in the House, with opposition parties, including Moitra’s, clashing fiercely with the ruling BJP. Despite demands from opposition MPs for more time to review the report and for Moitra to be allowed to speak, these requests were denied by Speaker Birla, who cited a precedent from 2005 involving the expulsion of 10 MPs.
Moitra, speaking to reporters outside Parliament post-expulsion, claimed the Ethics Committee had violated procedural norms. She also expressed concerns about potential harassment by the CBI, which has initiated an inquiry into the allegations against her.
The Ethics Committee’s report stated that the allegations of accepting illegal gratification were “clearly established and are undeniable.” It highlighted the issue of Moitra taking gifts from Hiranandani in exchange for her parliamentary login details, describing it as a quid pro quo and conduct unbecoming of an MP.
The report also urged the government to conduct a criminal investigation into the cash components of the bribes and to explore the ‘money trail’, acknowledging the committee’s lack of expertise in such matters. The final recommendation was Moitra’s expulsion from the Seventeenth Lok Sabha and a legal institutional inquiry by the government.
In a defiant response, Moitra referenced Maa Durga, a Hindu deity, symbolizing her readiness to face the unfolding events. Her expulsion, orchestrated by the BJP according to Mamata Banerjee, has added a dramatic twist to the political landscape ahead of the elections.
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