Lok Sabha Expels TMC MP Mahua Moitra Adopting Ethics Committee Report On 'Cash For Query' Complaint

The Lok Sabha on Friday (December 8) passed a resolution to expel Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra based on the Report of the Ethics Committee over the 'cash for query' complaint.

Prahlad Joshi, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, tabled the resolution to expel Moitra, based on the Committee's finding that she was guilty of sharing her login credentials of the Lok Sabha MP portal with unauthorised persons, which resulted in compromising national security and that she accepted illegal gratification in the form of gifts and other facilities from a businessman for raising queries. The Minister said that the the conduct of Moitra is highly unethical and unbecoming of a Member of Parliament and that she was liable to be disqualified for breach of privileges and contempt of the House.

Om Birla said, "...This House accepts the conclusions of the Committee that MP Mahua Moitra's conduct was unethical and inappropriate.  So ,it is not appropriate for her to continue as an MP and she has to be expelled from the House". The resolution was adopted in a voice vote. Moitra was not given an opportunity to speak in the house in response to the charges. Speaker Om Birla said that a member facing allegations will get ample opportunity to explain before the Committee and hence there was no need to give a chance to address the House. In this regard, the Speaker said that he was following the precedent of former Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.  Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee alleged that Moitra was not given an opportunity to cross-examine businessman Darshan Hiranandani in the proceedings before the Committee.  He argued that the house has no power to expel a member and at the maximum, it can only suspend a member.

After the house passed the resolution, Moitra addressed the press outside the Parliament, saying that the there is no evidence of any cash being taken. The recommendation of expulsion is solely based on the sharing of the login credentials, she said, while adding that there are no rules prohibiting it. She alleged that the process was done to shut out debate on the Adani issue. "....this kangaroo court has only shown to all of India that the haste and the abuse of due process you have used demonstrates how important Adani is to you," she said.

The inquiry against Moitra was launched on a complaint filed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on October 15.

Businessman Darshan Hiranandani, who allegedly paid Moitra to raise questions in Parliament about the Adani Group, had claimed in a signed affidavit that Mahua Moitra targeted industrialist Gautam Adani to "malign and embarrass" Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At a meeting on November 9, the Committee adopted its report recommending Moitra's expulsion from the Lok Sabha over the "cash-for-query" allegation. Six members of the panel, including suspended Congress member Preneet Kaur, voted in favour of the report. Four members of the panel belonging to opposition parties submitted dissent notes.