Report on Moitra may be tabled in LS on Friday; BJP issues whip to MPs

The report of the Ethics Committee which recommended the expulsion of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in a "cash-fore-query" case is likely to be tabled in Lok Sabha on Friday, parliamentary sources said.

The report was earlier listed in the agenda of the lower house for December 4 but was not tabled.

Various opposition members have insisted that there should be a discussion on the recommendations before a decision is taken on Moitra.

"If the report is tabled, we would insist on a full-fledged discussion as the draft was adopted in two-and-a-half minutes," Bahujan Samaj Party MP Danish Ali told reporters on Thursday.

The committee headed by Vinod Kumar Sonkar, at a meeting on November 9, adopted its report recommending Moitra's expulsion from Lok Sabha over the "cash-for-query" allegation.

Six members of the panel, including Congress MP Preneet Kaur who had earlier been suspended from the party, voted in favour of the report. Four members of the panel belonging to opposition parties submitted dissent notes.

The opposition members termed the report a "fixed match" and said the complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Party Lok Sabha member Nishikant Dubey, which the panel reviewed, was not supported by a "shred of evidence".

Moitra can be expelled only if the House votes in favour of the panel's recommendation.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday issued a three-line whip to all its MPs of Lok Sabha to be present in the House on Friday to discuss legislative business, reported ANI.

"BJP issues a line whip to all its MPs of Lok Sabha to be present in the house on December 8, 2023 as some very important legislative business will be taken up for discussion and to support the government's stand," BJP official release stated.

The Winter Session of Parliament began on Monday and is scheduled to continue till December 22.