On Day 1 Of Parliament Winter Session, Ethics Report On Mahua Moitra Key Agenda

The BJP, buoyed by the victory in the assembly elections, will seek to corner the Congress-led Opposition in the Winter Session of Parliament that starts today.

The ethics committee will also table its first report in the Mahua Moitra case today. All eyes today will be on the Ethics Panel Committee chief Vinod Kumar Sonkar who is set to present the first report on Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in the cash-for-query case.

Ms Moitra has been accused of receiving cash and expensive gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani for asking questions in parliament.

The committee, at a meeting on November 9, adopted its report recommending Mahua Moitra’s expulsion from the Lok Sabha over the allegations.

According to the Lok Sabha agenda, the report will be tabled in the house today.

The Parliamentary Ethics Committee examining the matter. Calling Ms Moitra’s actions “highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal”, the panel has said she should not be allowed to continue as an MP and her Lok Sabha membership should be terminated.

Ms Moitra has denied the charges claiming that there is no regulation regarding the sharing of login and password. Earlier, she had walked out of a meeting with the ethics panel, saying she was asked “filthy questions”.

The Opposition is also looking to redraw their strategies to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP both inside the Parliament and in the electoral arena.

BJP registered a thumping victory in three heartland states, dethroning the Congress in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The party, however, did manage to oust the BRS from Telangana.

The government has presented a heavy legislative agenda for the 15 sittings of the Winter Session with key bills to replace the colonial era criminal laws, a draft legislation to provide a framework for the appointment of the election commissioners.

The Opposition has sought a discussion in the Parliament on issues such as the situation in Manipur, rising inflation, “misuse” of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).