I feel bad for Mahua Moitra. She is articulate and politically savvy. Having graduated from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, she worked as an investment banker and became a vice president of JP Morgan. She quit in 2009 and joined the Indian National Congress. In 2010, she quit and joined the Trinamool Congress and was elected to Parliament in 2019.
On October 15, MP Nishikant Dubey filed a complaint with the Lok Sabha Speaker against Moitra, alleging that she received material benefits in return for asking questions in Parliament. MPs are provided with an ID and password for the Parliament portal to file questions, Zero Hour submissions and Special Mentions. It was alleged that she shared her ID and password with Darshan Hiranandani, an industrialist, who keyed in and asked questions about rival Adani Group. On October 17, the Speaker referred the issue to the Ethics Committee of Parliament. On October 19, Hiranandani filed an affidavit admitting to using the ID and password Moitra provided to file questions. He also alleged she had accepted gifts in return. Even before the Ethics Committee began its hearings, Moitra, in a series of media briefings between October 23 and 3, confessed that she did share her Parliament ID and password with the industrialist and that he posted questions. She also confessed that she received gifts from the industrialist. She also made the broader allegation that no MP was drafting questions or uploading them on the Parliament portal themselves. The Ethics Committee issued a summons and heard all those concerned, including Moitra and Dubey. She walked out of the Committee meeting when she was being questioned, alleging that personal questions were being asked. On November 9, the Ethics Committee submitted its report, recommending her expulsion from Parliament.
On December 8, the Committee’s report was placed before Parliament. The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs moved the motion for Moitra’s expulsion.
While participating in the motion for expulsion, Giridhari Yadav, JD(U) MP, stated: “Even I do not remember my password. My PA knows it. I have not asked any questions, thinking God knows what will happen. I never frame questions. Many MPs do not frame their questions. I do not know how to run a computer.” The Speaker responded: “I request all MPs to frame their questions themselves and put it up. No one else is allowed to do that. Serious actions can be taken against you in such a scenario. You are saying this on record. I will not let the dignity of this House be tarnished.”
After the discussion, the motion for expulsion was put to vote. The Opposition walked out and the motion was adopted through voice vote. Moitra stands expelled.
I wish to focus on two issues: One, is the allegation made by both Moitra and Giridhari Yadav that MPs do not frame their own questions. This is false and undermines Parliament’s reputation. I have been an MP myself and know many who burn the midnight oil to research and frame questions. The parliamentary question is the most potent instrument in the hands of members to ensure that democracy is alive and kicking. It allows them to question the government on its performance. Even for those who belong to the ruling party, it is the instrument through which they can elicit information regarding the implementation of government schemes in their constituencies. To get a starred question listed is like winning a jackpot for most of the MPs, because the concerned ministers would have to give oral answers and supplementary questions can be asked by the member asking the question and any MP with the permission of the Speaker/Chairman.
Over the past many years, most of the questions pertain to the constituency of the MPs asking the question. The other category of questions pertains to national issues. During my tenure as MP, I had 100 per cent attendance, both in Parliament and Parliamentary Committees, except when I was a candidate in Parliament or assembly elections. There was not one day during my tenure when I had not submitted the maximum permissible number of questions, which is five (two starred and three unstarred). All these were written in my hand. Before framing questions, I would go through the annual reports of ministries. Every week I wrote a request for Zero Hour and Special Mentions.
I accept that sometimes MPs share their ID and password with their PAs. PAs of MPs are paid by Parliament. But sharing the ID and password with anybody else is a gross violation of the rules. In fact, when MPs are given the ID and password, they sign an undertaking that it will be kept secret. Imagine giving it to a business house to destroy the reputation of a rival! This is completely illegal, immoral and unethical.
The second allegation raised by Moitra and some Opposition leaders is that there was no “cash for query”. What is the definition of cash? If I accept a gold bar as a gift, is it not equivalent to cash? Or a car or jewellery? What about if I accept hospitality in the form of an expensive hotel room? If I get flight tickets, is it not equivalent to cash? As an IAS officer, MLA, MP and Union minister, I had a simple policy: Never accept anything that costs more than Rs 500 and whatever was received was passed on to my domestic help.
The INDIA front, led by Sonia Gandhi, walked out of the Parliament when the motion was put to vote. That can be seen as an endorsement of all that Moitra did and Giridhari Yadav said. As usual, they protested before the Gandhi statue. Poor Gandhi.
The writer is a former Union minister and 1979 batch IAS officer. He is currently a practising lawyer at the Supreme Court of India
