New Delhi, Dec 4: Opposition members on Monday demanded a discussion in Lok Sabha on the Ethics Committee report recommending the expulsion of TMC member Mahua Moitra before any decision on the matter.
The opposition members made the demand during the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to finalise the agenda for the House this week.
Parliamentary sources said the report of the Ethics Committee on the expulsion of Moitra from Lok Sabha over ‘cash for query’ allegations was expected to be tabled in the House on Tuesday.
The report was listed for presentation in Lok Sabha on Monday, but the agenda item was not taken up by the presiding officer.
The demand for a discussion on the ethics panel report on Moitra also came up for discussion at the meeting of INDIA bloc parties in the morning.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Congress will oppose any motion that the government may bring in Parliament to suspend or expel Moitra.
He said the party feels there is a “political conspiracy” to harass and target Moitra and demanded a discussion on the issue in Parliament.
“But our position is very clear that this is a political conspiracy to harass, to target Mahua Moitra. We will oppose any measure that the government will bring in order to suspend or expel her,” Ramesh told reporters.
“We certainly want a discussion on the ethics committee report and we want Moitra to be given an opportunity to respond to the various charges made against her,” he said, adding that the matter came up for discussion during the opposition meeting also.
The opposition members termed the report a “fixed match” and said the complaint filed by BJP Lok Sabha member Nishikant Dubey, which the panel reviewed, was not supported by a “shred of evidence”.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Moitra said that Trinamool leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay asked the presiding officer as to why the report of the Ethics Committee was not tabled in the Lok Sabha.
Later, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that for reasons best known to the committee, the report was not tabled.
Moitra said she will comment on the report when it is tabled. (PTI)
