Mahua Moitra is victim of politics, if Ethics Committee wants a probe to prove criminality then why recommend her expulsion: TMC Abhishek Banerjee over alleged cash for query scam

In his first comments since the controversy broke out, TMC National General Secretary and party second in command Abhishek Banerjee has come in support of his party colleague MP Mahua Moitra who is accused of taking money from a businessman for asking questions in Parliament. The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has recommended her expulsion from the 17th Lok Sabha, and pages of the draft report got leaked to the media on Wednesday. Banerjee called Moitra a “victim of politics”.

“What happened to Ramesh Biduri who made communal slurs and insulted the parliament? There are several complaints against BJP MPs. I feel this step by the central government and what I read of the ethics committee report, they have said an investigation should happen against her. If you do not have anything against Mahua and it is the subject of investigation, then why has an expulsion been recommended? I feel Mahua is competent enough to fight her battles on her own. They have been victimizing me for four years too; it is their standard practice.”, said Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday.

Moitra is accused of sharing official credentials including login ID and password with a businessman that the ethics committee has termed as a breach of national security. The panel report was approved on Thursday by the Ethics committee through a division of votes. 6 members voted in favour of expulsion of Moitra while 4 members voted against it. The Ethics committee will be handing over the report to Lok Sabha Speaker on Friday. The panel has also recommended an institutional probe into the matter.

Abhishek Banerjee drawing parallels with his multiple appearances before the central agencies against summons by either ED or CBI, he said that Mahua Moitra is ”competent enough to fight her own battles".