Opposition seeks discussion on report on Mahua Moitra in Parliament’s Winter Session | India News

NEW DELHI: With Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra’s expulsion from Lok Sabha, slated to come up in the House on the opening day of the last Winter Session of the 17th Lok Sabha, following a recommendation by the Ethics Committee, her party’s floor leaders on Saturday demanded a discussion in the House on the recommendation to expel Mahua Moitra in a “cash-for-query” case.
The report of the Lok Sabha panel recommending TMC member’s expulsion is listed for tabling in the House on the first day of the session that begins on December 4 and concludes on December 22.
TMC leaders Sudip Bandopadhyay (LS) and Derek O’ Brien (Rajya Sabha) claimed at all-party meeting called by government on Saturday, that the panel’s report had been made public “brazenly” before being tabled in the House, which is the norm.
At the meeting, the TMC leaders said while a few MPs are already under suspension, they have seen reports in the media that one member from TMC is “going to be expelled shortly,” according to sources.
Bandopadhyay and O’Brien demanded a discussion on the issue in Lok Sabha before the report is tabled. After the discussion, a decision should be taken by the House, they said. Moitra can be expelled only if the House votes in favour of the panel’s recommendation, according to rules.
The Ethics Committee adopted its report recommending her expulsion from the Lok Sabha, when it met on November 9.
At the meeting, the TMC leaders also accused the government of reducing the all-party meetings to a “waste of time.” The government is bringing bills to Parliament without discussing them in all party meetings, they alleged, it is learnt.
TMC also urged the government not to pass the three bills to replace the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act. TMC chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had written a letter to home minister Amit Shah two days ago, on the same lines asking the government to withhold the passing of the three bills.
Raising the issues of pending MGNREGA and payments, health funds, etc for West Bengal, Centre’s interference in the states, the TMC leaders alleged that the federal structure is under threat. They sought a discussion in the House on issues including unemployment and price rise.