 "Expulsion impossible without evidence: TMC's Abhishek Banerjee backs Moitra")
Expressing solidarity with his party leader, Mahua Moitra ahead of the Ethics Committee meeting today, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has said that Mahua Moitra is competent enough to fight her battle on her own.
"Just note that yesterday, the current chairman of the Ethics Committee recommended expulsion. When you have no evidence then how could you recommend expulsion? I think Mahua Moitra is competent enough to fight her battle on her own. They have been calling me for the last 4 years and trying to trap me in different cases," Abhishek Banerjee said.
"A month ago, when a 4-day session was called in the new Parliament, BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri tried to destroy the dignity of the Parliament and there are many MPs of BJP against whom privilege is due, there is no hearing against them. But if someone wants to ask direct questions to the government on Adani's malpractices, then how is she expelled from the post of MP" he added.
Ahead of the meeting of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee which is probing the 'Cash-for-Query' allegations against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, the Committee's Chairperson, Vinod Sonkar said that a report has been drafted and after discussion, it will be sent to the Lok Sabha Speaker.
"The ethics committee has seen all evidence examined, Darshan Hiranandani's affidavit, Nishikant Dubey's complaint and Mahua Moitra's statement. A report has been drafted on which the Ethics Committee will hold a discussion. Following this, the report will be sent to the Lok Sabha Speaker," Vinod Sonkar said, speaking to ANI ahead of the meeting.
When questioned about the possibility of revoking Mahua Moitra's Lok Sabha membership, Sonkar said, "The Committee will decide on this. After examining all the facts, it will send its report to the Speaker."
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According to sources, the committee can recommend the expulsion of Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha and can take action against Bahujan Samaj Party MP Danish Ali who is a member of the committee.
Earlier today Mahua Moitra wrote to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, alleging a breach in the rules of the House claiming that the draft report of the Lok Sabha Committee on Ethics was accessed by a news channel. She alleged that since the media house was owned by the Adani group this was an issue of corporate fraud and breach of regulations.