NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader and Shirur MP, Amol Kolhe, took to X (formerly Twitter) late on Friday to condemn the expulsion of TMC MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha.
Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha on Friday after the House adopted the report of its Ethics Committee that held her guilty of accepting gifts and illegal gratification from a businessman to further his interest.
After a heated debate over the panel report during which Moitra was not allowed to speak, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a motion to expel the TMC MP for "unethical conduct", which was adopted by a voice vote.
Kolhe characterised this event as a "black day for Indian democracy" and said he "unequivocally condemns this cowardly act".
He wrote, "This day will be remembered as a black day for Indian democracy. MP and my colleague Mahua Moitra, who has asked tough questions to the Union Government, was expelled from the Lok Sabha based on the report of the Ethics Committee. The irony is that they didn't think of discussing the report's recommendations. This attitude of the government tells us how they have been silencing the voices of MPs in the House of Parliament. This is horrible, and they have crushed democratic principles. I unequivocally condemn this cowardly act."
'Ethics Committee another weapon to crush opposition'
Reacting sharply to her expulsion, Moitra said, "This Lok Sabha has also seen the weaponisation of the Parliamentary committee. Ironically the Ethics Committee which 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' (crush) us into submission."
"This committee and this report have broken every rule in the book. In essence you are finding me guilty of breaching a code of ethics that does not exist," Moitra said, adding that the committe is punishing her for engaging in a practice that is routine, accepted and encouraged in the House.
