Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and Ethics Committee member Aparajita Sarangi expressed disapproval over the expulsion of TMC MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha in a ‘cash for query’ case. Sarangi labeled Moitra’s conduct as “unethical” and emphasized the need to condemn such behavior.
Moitra faced expulsion from the Lok Sabha following a discussion on the Ethics Committee’s report on the ‘cash for query’ case. Aparajita Sarangi, while acknowledging herself as a woman, asserted that ethical conduct is expected from both male and female MPs. She criticized Moitra’s actions, stating, “Mahua Moitra has done unethical conduct, so it should be condemned. If the opposition is standing with her, then they are supporting a wrong thing.”
Sarangi underscored the importance of MPs adhering to rules and regulations, emphasizing that being an MP involves taking an oath and following certain rules. She stated, “This is a lesson to all MPs. When we become MPs, we take an oath; we’re supposed to follow certain rules…the whole country is watching us. In Mahua Moitra’s case, immorality was visible, and this is the reason why she was expelled from the Lok Sabha.”
Following her expulsion, Mahua Moitra contested the findings of the Ethics Committee, alleging that she has been found guilty of breaching a code of ethics that ‘does not exist.’ She criticized the committee, stating, “Ironically, the Ethics Committee, which was set up to serve as a moral compass for members, has been abused egregiously today to do exactly what it was never meant to do, which is to bulldoze the opposition and become another weapon to ‘thok do’ (crush) us into submission.”
Moitra further claimed that the findings were based on the written testimonies of two private citizens, whose versions contradicted each other, and she was not allowed to cross-examine them. The Ethics Committee report recommended Moitra’s expulsion from the Lok Sabha, citing “serious misdemeanors” and called for a legal inquiry by the central government. The motion to expel Moitra was adopted by the Lok Sabha, leading to her immediate expulsion. Opposition MPs staged a walkout in response to the decision.
