Stir in House over delay in Parl Ethics Panel’s report on Mahua

New Delhi: Parliamentary Ethics Committee report on the ‘cash-for-query’ case involving Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra raised eyebrows of several Opposition leaders as it was skipped during Monday’s session. The report was initially scheduled to be tabled on the first day of the Winter session of the Parliament.

According to sources, the report is now likely to be presented by BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi and Vinod Kumar Sonkar, both members of the committee, on Tuesday. The report is expected to recommend the expulsion of Mahua Moitra, with findings addressing allegations related to the ‘cash-for-query’ controversy.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had raised allegations against Moitra, accusing her of accepting bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for raising questions in Parliament against a prominent business group. The claims were based on a letter and complaint made by advocate Jai Dehadrai, Moitra’s former partner. Both Hiranandani and Dehadrai testified before the ethics panel of the Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, Opposition members sought clarification from the Chair in the House as to why the report’s presentation was skipped. Although senior TMC member Sudip Bandyopadhyaya, along with Congress’ K Suresh and RSP’s N K Premchandran raised questions regarding the report, no response was provided. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said in the Lower House that there might be reasons known to the committee that led to the delay in tabling the report during the first day of the Winter session.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury further addressed the issue in a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, expressing concerns over the media reports on the committee’s recommendations. He highlighted the gravity of the situation, noting that expulsion from Parliament is a serious punishment with wide ramifications.

When questioned about the delay, Moitra reserved her comments, emphasising the parliamentary procedure typically involves the reading of items listed on the agenda.

Furthermore, TMC leaders, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O’Brien expressed concerns about the leak of the ethics panel’s report to the media before it was officially presented in the House. TMC criticised the premature disclosure, stating that parliamentary committee reports should not be made public before being tabled on the floor of the House.