Mahua Moitra ‘expulsion’ report: Opposition seeks 4 days; Shashi Tharoor calls it ‘inadequate’
Union minister Pralhad Joshi moved the motion for the discussion of the panel's report seeking Moitra's expulsion, in the Lok Sabha.
New Delhi: The Opposition on Friday strongly rallied behind Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, with the Congress demanding ‘four days’ from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to study the ethics panel report suggesting the former's expulsion over the cash-for-query allegation. While many Opposition MPs claimed they hadn't received a copy of the report, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called the document "deeply inadequate". His party also demanded that Moitra be given a chance to respond to the allegations in the house before the report is adopted.
"This report is a deeply inadequate document, it fails to meet the basic standards of any report that can come up with such a dramatic recommendation of expulsion. It has apparently been adopted in 2.5 minutes without having any serious discussion," Tharoor said.
The remark came after Union minister Pralhad Joshi moved the motion for the discussion of the panel's report seeking Moitra's expulsion, in the Lok Sabha.
Congress MP Manish Tewari said the Opposition should be given 3-4 days to study the report.
"As Adhir Ranjan said, heavens would not have fallen had we given 3-4 days to take cognisance of this report and then keep our opinions before the House because it is going to make a decision on a very sensitive matter...Can the procedure of the Ethics Committee override the fundamental principle of natural justice which is the organising principle of every justice system in the world? From what we read in the newspaper, the one who has been made an accused - she was not able to complete her deposition. What kind of procedure is this?," he said.
Also read: ‘Fundamentally flawed’: Congress MP slams ethics panel report on Mahua Moitra
The 495-page report was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
"TMC MP Mahua Moitra should be given the opportunity to express her views on the LS Ethics Committee report," said Chowdhury.
Meanwhile, Speaker Om Birla observed that strict actions are often taken to uphold the dignity of the House.
"If some strict decisions have to be taken, they have to be taken to uphold the dignity of the House," he said.
With inputs from PTI, ANI
