Mamata Banerjee alleged that the ruling party denied Ms Moitra the opportunity to defend herself
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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the expulsion of her party MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha today, calling it a blatant act of “vendetta politics” by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Ms Moitra, 49, was expelled from Lok Sabha today following an Ethics Committee report held her guilty of taking bribes in exchange for criticising the government. The Trinamool leader faces accusations of receiving cash and luxurious gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for posing questions in Parliament that painted the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government in a negative light.
“This is vendetta politics of BJP. They killed democracy….It is injustice. Mahua will win the battle. The people will give a befitting reply to the BJP. They will be defeated in the next election,” Chief Minister Banerjee said today.
“It is a shame for parliamentary democracy. We condemn the way Mahua Moitra was expelled, the party stands with her. They (the BJP) can’t defeat us in the election, so they have resorted to vendetta politics. It is a sad day and the betrayal of Indian parliamentary democracy,” she added.
Chief Minister Banerjee alleged that the ruling party denied Ms Moitra the opportunity to defend herself against the allegations.
“She (Ms Moitra) will return to Parliament with a bigger mandate. The BJP thinks the party can do whatever it wants as they have a brute majority. They must keep in mind that a day might come when they may not be in power,” Ms Banerjee said.
Despite a heated debate and demands from Ms Moitra and opposition members for her to speak, she was not given the opportunity to defend herself before the vote.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a motion for her expulsion based on “unethical conduct”, which was subsequently adopted by a voice vote.