Mahatma Moitra, the leader of the Trinamool Congress has been expelled from the Lok Sabha after an Ethics Committee investigation into the ‘cash for query’ allegations against her was completed.
Businessman Darshan Hiranandani is accused of paying Ms. Moitra bribes of ₹ 2 crore in cash and luxury gift items in exchange for Ms. Moitra raised critical issues of the Narendra Modi government in parliament.
In order for Mr. Hiranandani to directly post questions on the parliamentary website, Ms. Moitra is also accused of giving up the login details to a private account. She is a fierce opponent of the Modi administration and has acknowledged exchanging the login credentials but refuted the bribery accusations.
An intense dispute has broken out between the opposition, which includes Ms. Moitra’s party, and the ruling BJP since the Ethics Committee’s findings was presented earlier today. After the report was tabled, there was much commotion, therefore the meeting was adjourned until 2:00 pm, during which the motion to remove Ms. Moitra was made.
Earlier in its 500-page report, which was approved on November 9th, the Ethics Committee which had looked into the accusations brought by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey recommended that Moitra be removed from the 17th Lok Sabha due to her highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal conduct. In the panel last month, the draft report was approved by a vote of 6:4. Including Congress MP Preneet Kaur, who had previously been suspended from the party, six panel members voted in favour of the report. Dissent notes were submitted by four panel members who were members of opposition parties.