“Double Standards…” TMC Mahua Moitra reminds Lok Sabha 'Ethics Committee' ethics in letting go BJP MP Ramesh Biduri accused of serious hate speech

TMC Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra who is in the middle of the alleged “cash for query” controversy has confirmed her appearance before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on November 2, as has been summoned by the committee. Moitra has expressed dismay as to how her request for a date after November 5 was turned down by the committee even though in a letter dated October 27 to the Ethics Committee she had apprised of her prior commitments in her Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal. She has, however, also questioned if a similar stringent approach was also meted out to a BJP MP accused of hate speech inside the parliament and the matter has since been pending before the committee.

“In direct contrast, a very different approach has been adopted in the case of Sri Ramesh Biduri, MP, BJP who has a very serious complaint of hate speech…pending against him… Biduri was summoned on October 10, 2023 to provide oral evidence but he informed the committee that he was away campaigning in Rajasthan and would not be attending. No further date of his hearing has been given so far. I wish to place of record that these double standards reek of political motives and do little to enhance the credibility of the Privileges & Ethics Branch”, wrote TMC MP Mahua Moitra in her letter dated October 31 to Vinod Kumar Sankar, Chairperson, Lok Sabha Ethics Committee. Maitra made the letter public on Wednesday while alleging bias on the part of the Ethics Committee.

In September this year during the special session of the Parliament, BJP MP Ramesh Biduri during the discussion of the success of the Chandrayaan-3 moon mission used unparliamentary and communal slurs at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Kunwar Danish Ali, called him “Bhadwa” (pimp),  "Atankwadi" (terrorist), "Ugrawadi" (militant) on the floor of Lok Sabha. His comments had outraged many, allowing people to question if Biduri had used such disgraceful language for Danish Ali for the religion he belongs to and if that makes it an antithesis to “sabka saath, sabka bikas and sabka biswas…”. BJP as a political party, had given the South Delhi MP, Ramesh Bidhuri additional responsibility, as its in-charge for Rajasthan's Tonk district ahead of upcoming assembly elections slated for November 25.

Mahua Moitra in her letter to the committee has appealed for the opportunity to cross-examine Darshan Hiranandani whose affidavit with allegations of him having bribed Moitra has formed the premise of the controversy and subsequent probe by the committee. Moitra has remained on the committee “principles of natural justice”. Moitra has also questioned if the Ethics Committee had a ‘locus standi’ to examine allegations that fall under the criminal offence category. “I wish to respectfully remind you that Parliamentary Committee do not have criminal jurisdiction and have no mandate to investigate alleged criminality,” she added in her letter while confirming her appearance before the committee.