Will Mahua Moitra Be Expelled From Lok Sabha? Ethics Panel Report Tabled Today

In the alleged "cash-for-query" case, the Ethics Committee adopted its 500-page report on November 9 recommending Moitra's expulsion from the 17th Lok Sabha given her "highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal conduct.

Mahua Moitra (Pic: ANI)

A heated discussion is expected in the Parliament today. The report of the Ethics Committee on Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in an alleged "cash-for-query" case is being tabled in Lok Sabha today as the Parliament convenes on Day 5 of the ongoing Winter Session. The report was mentioned in the agenda of the list of business of Lok Sabha for the opening day (December 4) of the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament but it could not be taken up. The Ethics Committee, which investigated the allegations made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, adopted its 500-page report on November 9 recommending Moitra's expulsion from the 17th Lok Sabha given her "highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal conduct. The draft report was adopted by a 6:4 majority in the panel last month.

It has been alleged Moitra gave her parliament login ID to businessman Darshan Hiranandani to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In an affidavit, Hiranandani alleged the Trinamool MP shared her official MP email so that he could send her information and she could raise questions in parliament. He alleged that later, the MP later gave him her parliament login and password for him to post the questions directly. While Moitra has refuted the cash-for-query allegations, she admitted to giving her parliamentary login ID to businessman Darshan Hiranandani. 

As per the sources, the draft report on Mahua Moitra's cash-for-questions case reveals that she visited the UAE four times from 2019 to 2023 while her login was accessed several times. "On 47 occasions, her member portal login credentials were accessed from Dubai," sources said citing the draft report of the ethics committee. Nishikant Dubey had written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against Moitra, accusing her of asking questions in Lok Sabha to target the Adani Group at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts. However, several leaders of the opposition, including Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Danish Ali and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have opposed the report. 

The TMC has demanded that the MP Mahua Moitra be given a chance to put forth her defence. TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said, "I spoke with the Speaker, and he said that this committee report along with other reports will be tabled. I said that TMC MP Mahua Moitra should be given a chance to speak." Meanwhile, Congress Lok Sabha Chief Whip K Suresh said, "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."

 (With ANI Inputs)