The Congress’ leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, on Saturday wrote to Speaker Om Birla to question the proceedings of the Ethics Committee against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in the cash-for-query allegations. He also urged Mr. Birla to review the rules and processes on the functioning of parliamentary committees.
The report of the Ethics Committee recommending the expulsion of Ms. Moitra in the “cash-for-query” case will be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Mr. Chowdhury, who said he was writing in his personal capacity, argued that expulsion is an “extremely serious punishment and will have very wide ramifications”. He asserted that there is no clear-cut demarcation of roles envisaged for the Privileges Committee and the Ethics Committee, more so in matters of exercising penal powers.
There is also no clear definition of “unethical” conduct, and a “code of conduct”, envisaged under Rule 316B of the Rules of Procedure, remains to be formulated, he added.
“These issues, inclusive of the procedures being followed by the committee, which have a significant bearing and influence on the polity, may require deeper attention, and the processes streamlined under your guidance and directions,” Mr. Chowdhury said in his four-page letter.
Questioning the proceedings of the Ethics Committee, he said, “It is not clear whether the well-established procedure was followed and a money trail that is irrefutable has been established in case of the complaint or allegation against Ms. Mahua Moitra”.
He noted that the Dubai-based businessman who purportedly accessed the Lok Sabha portal using Ms. Moitra’s “log-in credentials” and was placing questions on her behalf was, as per reports, not called by the committee for deposing. “It is also not clearly known as to why the businessman chose to turn against the member despite his interests apparently being served by way of posing questions by using the log-in credentials,” Mr. Chowdhury added.
Separately, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP, Danish Ali, a member of the Ethics Committee who had given a dissenting note, also wrote to Mr. Birla to direct the Ethics panel chief to delete a paragraph that mentioned about Mr. Ali’s conduct, before the report is tabled in the House.
“The Lok Sabha ethics panel, while examining the cash-for-query allegations, has gone beyond its remit to comment on my objections during its meeting. It seems by targeting me a message is being sent that no member should speak out against ruling party,” Mr. Ali said in a post on X along with his letter.
