West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticized the decision to expel TMC MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha in the ‘cash-for-query’ case, calling it a shame for parliamentary democracy. Moitra was expelled after the House adopted the report of its Ethics Committee, which found her guilty of accepting gifts and illegal gratification from a businessman. Banerjee accused the BJP of resorting to vendetta politics and stated that Moitra would return to Parliament with a bigger mandate. Moitra herself denied the charges and criticized the Ethics Committee for lacking the power to expel her. Opposition MPs, including Sonia Gandhi, staged a walkout in protest. The Ethics Committee had recommended Moitra’s expulsion and called for a government inquiry against her. The case revolves around alleged ‘cash for parliament questions’.
Addressing reporters, Mamata Banerjee described the expulsion of Mahua Moitra as a betrayal of Indian parliamentary democracy. She condemned the way Moitra was treated and stated that the TMC party stands with her. Banerjee accused the BJP of resorting to vendetta politics due to their inability to defeat the TMC in elections. She expressed her disappointment in the decision and called it a sad day for Indian parliamentary democracy. Banerjee also criticized the BJP for not allowing Moitra to explain her stand during the debate. She asserted that Moitra would return to Parliament with a larger mandate and warned the BJP that they may not always be in power.
Mahua Moitra, during her address to the media, denied the allegations against her. She stated that there was no evidence or any cash or gifts involved. Moitra argued that her expulsion was based on the sole ground that she had shared her Lok Sabha portal login, which she claimed was not governed by any rules. She further explained that MPs act as conveyors of questions from the public to be voiced in Parliament. Moitra accused the Ethics Committee of disregarding due process and abusing its authority. She vowed to fight against the BJP both inside and outside Parliament, claiming that this marked the beginning of the BJP’s end.
The decision to expel Moitra was announced by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who stated that the Ethics Committee found her conduct immoral and indecent as an MP. The Committee had recommended her expulsion and called for an intense institutional inquiry by the government. The motion to expel Moitra for unethical conduct was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and adopted through a voice vote.
Following Moitra’s expulsion, opposition MPs, including CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, staged a walkout in protest. The Ethics Committee had dealt with a complaint filed against Moitra by BJP MP Nishiknat Dubey. The alleged ‘cash-for-query’ case revolves around accusations that Moitra accepted gifts and illegal gratification from a businessman. The BJP has yet to respond to Mamata Banerjee’s remarks or Moitra’s defense.
In conclusion, the decision to expel TMC MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha in the ‘cash-for-query’ case has sparked condemnation by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She criticized the move as a betrayal of parliamentary democracy and accused the BJP of resorting to vendetta politics. Moitra, on her part, denied the allegations against her and criticized the Ethics Committee for lacking the power to expel her. The case will likely continue to generate controversy and debate within Indian politics.
