The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee probing the “cash-for-query” allegation made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has recommended her expulsion.
The draft report was circulated on November 8 to the members and will be adopted at the Panel’s meeting today. The draft report also admonishes BSP MP Danish Ali for his disparaging remarks against the panel Chairman & BJP MP Vinod Sonkar.
Today’s meeting is expected to be stormy. Five opposition members who had walked out of the proceedings at the last meeting protesting the line of questioning, which Ms. Moitra later described as “proverbial vastraharan (disrobing)“ are expected to file dissent notes. Ms. Moitra’s questioning was not completed at the last meeting. The panel has only met thrice on the issue.
The panel’s report will be put before the Lok Sabha on the first day of the winter session. Its proposal to disqualify Ms. Moitra will be voted upon by the house.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against Ms. Moitra, accusing her of asking questions in Lok Sabha to target the Adani Group at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts.
The 15-member committee has seven members from the BJP, three from the Congress, and one each from BSP, Shiv Sena, YSRCP, CPI(M) and JDU.
