Mahua Moitra calls out ‘estranged partner with malafide intention’ over ouster from Lok Sabha

Trinamool leader Mahua Moitra on Friday questioned the basis of her expulsion from the Lok Sabha by the Ethics Committee, saying the action was taken based on two individuals whose testimonies contradict each other.

Referring to Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, Moitra said one of the two individuals was her “estranged partner who masqueraded as a common citizen”. She also pointed out that she was not allowed to cross-examine the duo.

“This Lok Sabha has also seen the weaponization of a Parliamentary Committee. Ironically, the ethics committee was set up to serve as a moral compass for members. Instead, it has been abused egregiously today to do exactly what it was never meant to do. Which is to bulldoze the opposition and become another weapon to ‘Thok Do’ us into submission,” she said.

“The findings are based solely on the written testimonies of two private citizens whose versions contradict each other in material terms, none of whom I was allowed to cross-examine. One of the two private citizens is my estranged partner who with malafide intention masqueraded as a common citizen in front of the committee. The two testimonies have been used to hang me, they are polar opposites to each other,” she added.

She also called the panel Kangaroo Court.

“If this Modi government thought that by shutting me up they could do away with the Adani issue, let me tell you this that this kangaroo court has only shown to all of India that the haste and the abuse of due process you have used demonstrates how important Adani is to you. And to what length you will go to harass a single woman MP into shutting her into submission,” she added.

Moitra claimed that the Ethics Committee had no power to expel her. “This is the beginning of BJP’s end,” she added.

She also claimed that no rules prohibit sharing login details.

Mahua Moitra said there was no evidence of her accepting cash or gifts.

“The ethics panel decided to hang me without getting to the root of the issue,” she added.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had lodged the complaint with Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, citing evidence furnished by Dehadrai, that she accepted cash and gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in return for asking his questions in Parliament.

Mahua Moitra later said she had shared with him her Parliamentary login details to have her staff type out her queries. She denied having received any bribes.

Dubey and Dehadrai had deposed before the panel. Hiranandani had written an affidavit, saying he had showered gifts on the leader in return for her parliamentary login details.