‘Cash-for-query’ allegations: Ethics Panel tables report on Mahua Moitra in Parliament

New Delhi: The Parliament reconvened for Day 5 this morning and the Parliamentary Ethics Committee submitted its report in the Lok Sabha recommending the expulsion of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra over the ‘cash-for-query’ allegations.

The Opposition asked for a division of votes on the report to determine the Trinamool leader’s immediate political future. The BJP has, however, prepared for this and issued a whip to its MPs to remain in the house.

The Ethics Committee Chairman Vinod Kumar Sonkar tabled the Panel’s first report when the House re-convened at noon after an adjournment during the Question Hour.

Trinamool Congress members and some from the Congress trooped into  the Well of the House raising slogans demanding a copy of the report.

Trinamool Congress member Kalyan Banerjee demanded a discussion on the report before its recommendations are put to vote, which would lead to the expulsion of Moitra from the House.

Amid uproar, BJP member Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the chair, adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. As soon as Speaker Om Birla started the Question Hour, Congress Leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury mentioned the report recommending the expulsion of Moitra.

Speaker Birla said the matter is listed, and he will give time to the MPs to speak when the business is taken up. “The matter has not been taken up yet… Question Hour is your time, you can ask questions,” he said. “This is not as per the rules of procedure. It is there in the list of businesses, when it is taken up, I will provide you enough time to speak,” Birla said.

This post was published on December 8, 2023 7:38 pm