Winter Session of Parliament: Mahua Moitra expelled from Lok Sabha in cash-for-query case

The 495-page report, a subject of intense scrutiny, was officially presented in the Lok Sabha during the session. Congress leader Chowdhury pressed for Moitra to have the chance to present her stance on the Ethics Committee's report.

Team Asianet Newsable

First Published Dec 8, 2023, 3:28 PM IST | Last Updated Dec 8, 2023, 3:39 PM IST

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mahua Moitra was on Friday (December 8) expelled from Lok Sabha in the cash-for-query case after the Ethics Panel submitted its report recommending her expulsion. The TMC lawmaker was expelled after a discussion by the members of the Lower House on the panel's report.

During the debate, Opposition members including Congress leaders Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Manish Tewari among others urged the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that Mahua Moitra shall be given an opportunity to present her views on the matter. However, the TMC MP was not allowed to speak.

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Expressing dissatisfaction, several Opposition MPs claimed they hadn't received a copy of the report, while Congress MP Shashi Tharoor went further, criticizing the document as "deeply inadequate." Tharoor's party demanded that Moitra be given an opportunity to respond to the accusations within the House before the report undergoes adoption.

Addressing the issue, Union minister Pralhad Joshi moved the motion for discussing the panel's report seeking Moitra's expulsion within the Lok Sabha. Congress MP Manish Tewari advocated for granting the Opposition a 3-4 day period to thoroughly examine the report.

Tewari emphasized the importance of allowing ample time for discussions on such a sensitive matter and questioned the ethical validity of the Ethics Committee's procedures, highlighting the absence of completion in Moitra's deposition.

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In response to the debates, Speaker Om Birla underscored the necessity of firm actions to maintain the House's dignity. He emphasized the importance of upholding the House's integrity, suggesting that stringent decisions might be necessary for this purpose.

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