Aparajita Sarangi, a member of the Ethics Committee in the Lok Sabha and a Member of Parliament representing the Bharatiya Janata Party, emphatically expressed that endorsing Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra, who had been ousted from the Lok Sabha due to allegations of accepting money for posing questions, equates to endorsing unethical behavior and a disregard for parliamentary protocols.
In a statement to the press, Sarangi underscored that standing in support of Mahua Moitra at this juncture is not merely endorsing an individual but rather aligning with actions that defy ethical standards and flout established parliamentary procedures. She emphasized the necessity of opposing anything deemed unethical and called for a collective commitment to upholding ethical conduct.
Sarangi's remarks were delivered a day after the expulsion of Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha, a move prompted by an investigation into allegations of accepting financial inducements, including a substantial sum of Rs 2 crore in cash and lavish gifts, from businessman Darshan Hiranandani. Moitra was accused of raising critical questions about the government in exchange for these payments.
Addressing the issue further, Sarangi appealed to opposition parties to eschew political maneuvering and characterized the expulsion of Mahua Moitra as a manifestation of political animosity. She asserted that Moitra's removal from the Lok Sabha was a consequence of her unethical conduct and failure to adhere to parliamentary procedures. Despite potential accusations of political bias, Sarangi urged a departure from political considerations, emphasizing that supporting Moitra translates to endorsing conduct that falls short of ethical standards.
The controversy surrounding Moitra also involved allegations of her sharing login credentials to her personal and confidential parliamentary website account with Hiranandani, enabling him to directly post questions. Despite vehemently denying the bribery charges, Moitra did acknowledge sharing the login credentials but maintained her innocence regarding the alleged acceptance of financial incentives.
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