Following the decision by the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee not to present its report suggesting the expulsion of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra in light of the cash-for-query allegations against her, Moitra conveyed that she would reserve her comments until the report is officially laid out before Parliament. This announcement transpired today, as Mahua Moitra addressed reporters outside the Parliament House, emphasizing her intention to provide insights into the matter only after the report's formal presentation in Parliament.
Expressing her reluctance to comment prematurely, Mahua Moitra stated, "What can I say when it was not even tabled (before the Parliament)? Had they tabled it, I would have said something. I will speak when they table it...," underscoring her commitment to addressing the allegations in the appropriate procedural context.
Simultaneously, Nishikant Dubey, the BJP MP who initially raised the accusations against Moitra, alleged that Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had "leaked the report." This claim added another layer of complexity to the unfolding situation surrounding the Ethics Committee's findings.
The Winter Session of Parliament, scheduled from December 4 to December 22, had been anticipated to witness the submission of reports from the Ethics Committee regarding the 'cash-for-query' allegations against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra. However, developments took an unexpected turn as concerns regarding the premature disclosure of the ethics committee report to the media surfaced.
Against this backdrop, parties forming the INDIA bloc decided to highlight the issue of the leaked ethics committee report before its official presentation in Parliament. The leak prompted discussions during the all-party meeting, where Trinamool Congress leaders Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O’Brien voiced their apprehensions regarding the breach of confidentiality.
The TMC expressed their dismay over the blatant disclosure of parliamentary committee reports to the media, asserting that such disclosures should not occur until the reports are formally tabled on the floor of the House. The Ethics Committee's report, stemming from an inquiry into allegations against Mahua Moitra, originated from a complaint filed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. Dubey accused Moitra of accepting a bribe from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for "asking questions in Parliament."
In response to the accusations, Mahua Moitra staunchly refuted the claims, dismissing them as "bogus" and "politically motivated." The unfolding scenario reflects a complex interplay of parliamentary procedures, ethical considerations, and political dynamics, setting the stage for further deliberations and responses within the Indian political landscape.
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