LS Ethics panel to meet on Nov 9 to adopt draft report on Mahua issue

The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha, which is investigating the cash-for-query allegations against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, will now meet on November 9 for the “consideration and adoption” of its draft report.

Earlier, the meeting of the panel headed by Vinod Kumar Sonkar was scheduled to be convened on November 7.  “Examination of complaint dated 15 October, 2023 given by Nishikant Dubey, MP against Mahua Moitra, MP for alleged direct involvement in cash for query in Parliament with reference to examination/investigation of alleged unethical conduct of Mahua Moitra, MP by the Committee on Ethics-Consideration and adoption of draft Report,” according to the Lok Sabha agenda.

Moitra had appeared before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on November 2 over the cash-for-query allegations against her. Along with opposition members of the panel, she “walked out” of the meeting on Thursday. Opposition members raised questions over the line of questioning and alleged that “personal questions” were posed to the Trinamool Congress MP. BSP MP Danish Ali, Janata Dal (United) MP Giridhari Yadav, and Congress MP Uttam Kumar Reddy were among those who “walked out” of the meeting.

Moitra alleged that she was subjected to humiliating personal questions from the panel. She further described the episode as “proverbial vastraharan (stripping)” referring to the chapter in Mahabharat, where Kauravas humiliated Padavas’ queen Draupadi in darbar.

In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Moitra stated that “unethical, sordid, prejudiced behaviour was meted out” to her during the meeting. On Sunday, the Trinamool Congress MP mounted an attack against the Ethics panel chief Vinod Sonkar and claimed that the BJP MP had asked her “cheap sordid irrelevant questions” when she appeared before the panel on November 2, in connection with the cash-for-query scandal.

In a post on X, the TMC MP warned BJP saying that she has the ‘exact’ transcript of record in the Ethics Committee verbatim. “Shaking in my skin to know the BJP is planning criminal cases against me. Welcome them—only know that CBI and ED need to file an FIR against Adani for the Rs 13,0000 crore coal scam before they question how many pairs of shoes I have,” she said.

Lok Sabha Ethics Committee Chairperson Sonkar on Thursday alleged that “un-parliamentary language” was used by Moitra against him and other members during cross-examination following her deposition before the panel.

Under the ‘Cash for Query’ charges he made against her, Dubey alleged that the Trinamool MP had taken bribes from Dubai-based businessman Hiranandani to raise questions in Parliament to target the Adani Group. Dubey had written a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla last month titled “Re-emergence of nasty ‘Cash for Query’ in Parliament”,