BJP demurs as 11 MPs face expulsion

Rajya Sabha panel endorses PK Bansal report

A day after the Pawan Kumar Bansal report on the cash-for-questions scam recommended that the 10 Lok Sabha members be expelled from the House, a Rajya Sabha ethics report also recommended the expulsion of the lone member implicated in the scam.

In both the reports, BJP members VK Malhotra (in the Bansal committee) and Sushma Swaraj (in the Rajya Sabha's ethics committee) wrote strong dissent notes asking that the matter be referred to the privileges committee before moving any resolution in the House seeking expulsion of the members.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has decided to consult the UPA allies on the course of action to be taken.

The diverse opinions led the Speaker to call two all-party meetings today. Sources confirm that the matter will be discussed in the Lok Sabha tomorrow, but that the Speaker has desired that the 10 members be present in the House during the debate so that they can defend themselves among their peers.

The matter was still being debated by government managers since the removal of members has happened only once before in 1951. A member of the constituent assembly, HG Mudgal, was expelled in connection with some of his dealings with the Bombay Bullion Association, which included canvassing support in Parliament on issues pertaining to that association.

It is this precedent that the BJP is citing to buy some time for its six MPs. According to BJP parliamentary party spokesperson V K Malhotra, this particular expulsion took five months with the matter being referred to the privileges committee.

"Proper procedures should be followed, since an ethics committee cannot recommend expulsion, only a privileges committee can, the members have the right to have their attorneys present and examine the evidence against them," he said.

Bansal in his report, however, quoted the 1951 expulsion in another context. He said the resolution moved by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1951 had expressed its outright abhorrence of any member accepting money in return for advocating any cause in Parliament.

Congress members said although they felt that expulsion was a very serious matter, they felt that the time had come for the ruling party to enjoy the moral high ground in this case.

"Would the BJP have considered this course if there had been more Congress MPs and fewer BJP MPs," said a senior Congress minister. "The harm that has been done to the dignity of the House is really quite serious. A strong political statement should be made," he added.

The Bansal report in fact used quite strong language to condemn the Lok Sabha members. "The committee are, therefore, deeply distressed over the acceptance of money by members for raising questions in the House. It is by such actions that the credibility of Parliament as an institution is eroded," said the report.

The House is likely to see a debate on the issue, but whether the 10 MPs be able to buy some time is an open question.