West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday condemned the expulsion of her MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha in the cash-for-query case saying the party stands with her. The ethics panel, which probed the allegations against Moitra, recommended her expulsion from the Parliament and also for an intense and legal inquiry in this matter by the government. The panel's report was tabled in the Lok Sabha earlier today.
"I am telling you that Mahua (Moitra) is a victim of the circumstances. I strongly condemn it... Our party will fight along with the I.N.D.I.A. alliance... It is unfortunate for the democracy," Mamata Banerjee said.
"Today, I am sad to see the attitude of the BJP party... How they betray democracy... They didn't allow Mahua to explain her stand. Full injustice has been done," Mamata allleged.
Speaking to reporters after her expulsion from the Parliament, Mahua Moitra said, "This Lok Sabha has also seen the weaponisation of a Parliamentary Committee. Ironically, the ethics committee was set up to serve as a moral compass for members. Instead, it 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' us into submission..."
"The findings are based solely on the written testimonies of two private citizens whose versions contradict each other in material terms none of whom I was allowed to cross-examine. One of the two private citizens is my estranged partner who with malified intention masqueraded as a common citizen in front of the committee. The two testimonies have been used to hang me, they are polar opposites to each other...," the expelled TMC MP said.
On the expulsion of Mahua Moitra, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "Decision was taken based on the statement of the person who levelled the allegation. It is against the natural course of justice..."
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