Lok Sabha today expelled TMC MP Mahua Moitra, amid a walkout from Opposition MPs, based on the recommendation of the report tabled by the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha in connection with the ‘cash for query’ scandal.
Moitra remains expelled from the 17th Lok Sabha. With general elections slated for 2024, this parliament has just a few months left. However, Moitra can challenge the expulsion order by way of a writ petition in the Delhi High Court or the Supreme Court.
The report which was scheduled to be tabled on December 4 – the first day of the parliament’s Winter Session, was finally introduced today.
Despite requests, Speaker Om Birla did not permit Moitra to speak in her defense. She further accused the Lok Sabha ethics panel report of “breaking every rule in the book".
“Since I was not allowed to speak inside the parliament, I am taking this opportunity to speak outside it. The ethics committee, without getting to the root of the case, decided to hang me,” Moitra said while addressing the press. “It refused to summon the businessman (Darshan Hiranandani) to testify, and there is no evidence of any cash or any gifts,” she added. “I thank my INDIA alliance colleagues…,” Moitra said as Opposition MPs stood with her in support.
“…As the hearing of the ethics committee demonstrates, all of us MPs are conveyor belts to get questions from the people to the parliament. If the Modi government hopes that by shutting me up it can forget the Adani issue, then it is mistaken,” Moitra added.
The Lok Sabha’s decision comes months after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey wrote to Birla accusing Moitra of accepting bribes in exchange for raising questions, purportedly to “protect the interest of a business group”.
Dubey’s said accusations were backed by compelling evidence of alleged bribery given by advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, who was Moitra’s personal friend.
Stormy scenes during parliament proceedings
After much speculation, the ethics committee report recommending Moitra’s expulsion was finally tabled in the Lok Sabha at noon today. However, the house proceedings were disrupted, and Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm.
At that time, Moitra told the press she had not yet been supplied the official copy of the report, even as reports suggest that the ethics committee’s report was leaked by Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary.
When proceedings resumed at 2 pm, Speaker Om Birla allowed a 30-minute debate on the ethics committee report. Chowdhary, however, asked for a few days saying it was not humanely possible to examine, read, and be ready to debate the 106-page report in two hours.
Congress MP Manish Tewari said he was debating on a topic without taking cognizance or going through the material. As [Adhir] Chowdhary said, “heavens would not have fallen” if we had got a few more days to peruse the report, Tewari said. this goes against the principles of natural justice, he added.
Tewari further questioned the proceedings of the ethics committee for failing to allow the cross-examination of Darshan Hiranandani, the industrialist who allegedly bribed Moitra to ask leading questions against the Adani group of companies.
“We are not sitting as ordinary members of this house,” Tewari said. “We are sitting as judges and jury to decide the fate of one of our honourable colleagues and I’m afraid that cannot be done through whip-driven tyranny,” he said.
To this Birla said, “This is a parliament, there is no judge.”
“Person against whom a charge has been brought should be allowed to speak,” TMC chief whip Kalyan Banerjee said requesting that Moitra be allowed to speak.
Moitra’s conduct “unethical” and “contempt of the house”
The 106-paged Ethics Committee report said Moitra’s conduct was “unethical” and “contempt of the House” for sharing her Lok Sabha login credentials with Darshan Hiranandani.
Responding to this accusation, Moitra had said that this was pretty common, and many members of the house frequently share their credentials with others. Moitra had even walked out of the proceedings initiated by the ethics committee claiming bias and calling out how meetings were being conducted.