Mahua Moitra row: MPs say panel met for 2.5 min; not allowed Hiranandani's probe
Mahua Moitra has been accused by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai of accepting bribes.
New Delhi: BSP MP Danish Ali on Thursday claimed the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee -- headed by BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar – convened for only 2.5 minutes before adopting its report on the cash-for-query charge against TMC MP Mahua Moitra. The panel is likely to recommend expulsion of the MP from the lower house of the Parliament.
Sonkar informed the media that the report was adopted after 6 members voted in its favour, including suspended Congress MP Preneet Kaur. Four opposition members submitted dissenting notes.
Moitra has been accused by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai of accepting bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani, in return for her asking questions against the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"After the Committee chairman came in, the meeting concluded in 2.5 minutes. There was no discussion on the report. Is this the way to do things? Proceedings of the first day of meeting were not included in the report. Starting from day one we have raised objections on the procedure being followed....On one hand, there has been no discussion or action on how Ramesh Bidhuri shamed democracy in Parliament. On the other hand, quick action being taken against an MP who is raising questions on one industrialist," Ali was quoted by ANI as saying.
Also read: LS panel adopts report on cash-for-query charge against Mahua Moitra
Sonkar today informed the media that the report was adopted and sent to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
"There were some people who wanted to obstruct the probe but today the report was adopted by a majority. Danish Ali, who had been trying to obstruct the probe, today submitted his dissent note," he added.
Responding to Danish Ali's charge, Sonkar said today's agenda was only to adopt the report which was prepared over the last three meetings.
"The agenda was already circulated. A detailed report was sent yesterday. Today, only the process of adoption was supposed to happen... A committee has prepared a report and has already sent it to the Lok Sabha Speaker," he added.
Moitra appeared before the panel on November 2. She, however, stormed out of the meeting claiming Sonkar had asked her unethical questions. The BJP MP later claimed she had used unparliamentary remarks against him.
‘Lesson for other MPs’
BJP MP and the panel's member, Aparajita Sarangi said," Mahua Moitra was given the opportunity of being heard. We noted all that she had said...There is a lesson in this that no MP should do such a thing."
Ali said the BJP MPs should include everything that was said and transpired during the meeting.
"The whole process was done in a hurry, they didn’t even complete the whole procedure," he added.
‘Deposition of Darshan Hiranandani not allowed’
Congress MP Ve Vaithilingam said Opposition MPs wanted to examine Darshan Hiranandani but were not allowed.
"Login ID and other things are open to all. We want to enquire about Darshan (Hiranandani), but they are not allowing it," he added.
Hiranandani had signed an affidavit saying he had Moitra's parliamentary login and that he showered expensive gifts on her. Moitra, however, said in an interview that she had shared the login to have the businessman's staff type out her queries. She rejected the BJP MP's bribe charge.
With inputs from PTI, ANI
