Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has escalated her legal battle by moving to the Supreme Court, challenging her recent expulsion from the Lok Sabha amidst a contentious ‘cash-for-query’ scandal. This move follows the Lok Sabha’s decision, based on the Ethics Committee’s report, which found Moitra guilty of compromising national security by sharing her parliamentary portal login credentials with businessman Darshan Hiranandani and allegedly accepting illegal gratification for raising questions in Parliament.
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The Ethics Committee’s report, which led to Moitra’s expulsion on December 8, accused her of unethical conduct, including the sharing of her Lok Sabha MP portal login details with unauthorized individuals and accepting gifts and other facilities from a businessman to promote his interests. Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi, who presented the expulsion resolution in the Lok Sabha, condemned Moitra’s actions as “highly unethical and unbecoming of a Member of Parliament,” and stated that her continuance as an MP was untenable.
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In her defense, Moitra has strongly refuted the allegations of receiving cash from Hiranandani. While she admitted to sharing her Parliament login information with him, she argued that no rules were violated in doing so. Moitra also criticized the Ethics Committee’s process, highlighting that she was not given an opportunity to cross-examine Hiranandani and her ex-partner Jai Anant Dehadrai, who were central to the allegations against her.
Following her expulsion, Moitra publicly attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of using the Ethics Committee as a “kangaroo court” to silence debate on sensitive issues like the Adani case. She declared her determination to continue fighting against the BJP, stating,
“I am 49 years old, I will fight you for the next 30 years, inside parliament, outside parliament, in the gutter, on the street.”
The opposition has shown solidarity with Moitra, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor supporting her and predicting her stronger return in future elections. Moitra’s decision to approach the Supreme Court marks a significant turn in this high-profile case, underscoring critical issues of parliamentary ethics, national security, and the balance of power within legislative bodies. Her challenge raises important questions about the limits of legislative authority and the role of ethics committees in parliamentary governance.
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