Controversy surrounds delayed presentation of ‘Cash-for-Query’ report on Mahua Moitra

Simontini Bhattacharjee, MP, 5 Dec 2023, New Delhi: In a surprising turn of events in the Lok Sabha, the eagerly awaited report from the Parliamentary Ethics Committee on the ‘cash-for-query’ case involving Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra was skipped during Monday’s session. Opposition leaders expressed astonishment as the report, initially scheduled to be tabled on the first day of the ongoing winter session of the Parliament, was notably absent from the proceedings. 

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

The controversy erupted when BJP MP Nishikant Dubey 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 expressed surprise and sought clarification from the Chair in the House as to why the report’s presentation was skipped. 

Senior TMC member Sudip Bandyopadhyaya, along with Congress’ K Suresh and RSP’s N K Premchandran, raised questions, but no response was provided. Congress leader in the Lower House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suggested 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. 

Moitra, when questioned, reserved her comments, emphasizing the parliamentary procedure that typically involves the reading of items listed on the agenda. In a twist, senior TMC members, 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 criticized the premature disclosure, stating that parliamentary committee reports should not be made public before being tabled on the floor of the House. 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. As the controversy unfolds, all eyes are now on the Lok Sabha as the report is scheduled for presentation on Tuesday, potentially bringing clarity to the allegations against Mahua Moitra and the subsequent recommendations of the Ethics Committee. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/big-stories/controversy-surrounds-delayed-presentation-of-cash-for-query-report-on-mahua-moitra-543050?infinitescroll=1