Documents that could be accessed on the members’ portal were not public files" ::::: TMC MP Mahua Moitra expelled from Lok Sabha :::: "Due to one MP, other Indian MPs are perceived negatively globally"

According to the Ethics panel report, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs “explicitly informed” that several documents that could be accessed on the members’ portal were not public files. 

These included draft Bills circulated in advance to members. Sharing passwords, it said, could lead to these drafts falling into the hands of elements inimical to the country. 

The committee noted that the Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Bill, 2019, was circulated in advance. This showed the dangers of possible leakages if passwords are shared with unauthorised persons. 

The committee said compromised passwords “could render the system vulnerable to severe cyber attacks and potentially disable the system entirely, thereby crippling the functioning of the Parliament of India”. 

It added that “such elements could plant material into the system that could impact national security by creating false documents or fake narratives”.

** The committee has argued that the sharing of material with Hiranandani, who holds an Indian passport but resides in the UAE and also has relatives who are foreign nationals, created a “serious risk of leakage of sensitive material to foreign agencies”.

*** The report said if the login credentials of MPs were given to an “unauthorised person”, it “enables the person to access “important” documents that may “interfere in the affairs of the parliament by manipulating parliamentary information to serve his/her commercial interests and/for other ulterior motives”.

** The committee has concluded that of the 61 questions posed by Moitra on the portal, 50 were with the intent of “protecting or perpetuating business interests” of Hiranandani.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla says -- members should prepare their own questions

#HeenaGavit of #BJP ....flays #MahuaMoitra for her conduct in LokSabha...says TMC MP asked 50 questions out of 61 related to Hiranandani's business interest

Ethics panel report said -- Between January 1, 2019 and September 30, 2023, Mahua Moitra visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on four occasions allegedly for her meetings with businessman Hiranandani — she said her visits were not aimed at meeting him, though some meetings did happen — but there were no logins on these dates. 

This, said the committee, showed that someone else had been logging in on her behalf from Dubai. It said the IP address for all 47 logins from Dubai was the same.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, BJP MP Heena V Gavit said, "Due to the actions of one individual, Indian MPs are now perceived negatively globally. It is important that we adhere to parliamentary procedures."

The House adopts resolution expelling Ms Mahua Moitra from the Lower House of Parliament.

BJP MP and chairman of Lok Sabha Ethics Committee Vijay Sonkar on Friday, Dec 8 tabled its report on Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra.  The Lok Sabha was adjourned until 2 pm amid a ruckus. The panel probed the ‘cash-for-query’ case based on complaint from BJP MP Nishikant Dubey recommended Moitra’s disqualification.

Congress floor leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "The issue is going on for a long time...It is putting the wrong message across the nation. Why does this government do revenge politics?  PM Modi talks well but I don't understand why's there so much difference in his speech and actions...What was such a huge mistake that suspension from the house was needed? Can they not ask her in the House in front of everyone...It appears to be a dictatorship...".

 #BJP MP #LocketChatterjee says, "...When it comes to national security, it is not about a party. There should be no politics over this...Action should be taken against someone who put questions on national security."

  #HeenaGavit of #BJP said in Lok Sabha during debate nobody is above law ..and hence the House should endorse the decision of the panel and take action against Moitra

Ethics Committee report on TMC MP Mahua Moitra | Congress MP Manish Tewari says, "... As Adhir Ranjan said, heavens would not have fallen had we given 3-4 days to take cognisance of this report ...because it is going to make a decision on a very sensitive matter...".

Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee cited Section 66 read with Section 43 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which prescribes punishment for sharing user ID and password in a “fraudulent and dishonest manner” with imprisonment for a term up to three years, a fine up to Rs. 5-lakh, or both.

** Regarding the Hiranandani affidavit where he conceded the charges made by Dehadrai, the report said Hiranandani signed the affidavit in the presence of Urmil Asiwal, Vice Consul (Attestation) on October 20, 2023, and that both the seal and signature of Asiwal are genuine. 

Opposition members had wondered why Hiranandani had not been summoned to India by the committee to examine him.

The panel also said that at the November 2 meeting, which Moitra stormed out of after accusing the committee of asking personal and unethical questions, the MP tried to “digress” to her “personal relationship” with Dehadrai when questioned.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey kick-started the row with complaint

Dubey recalled that in 2005, 10 MPs were expelled from the House in nine days for a mere Rs 10,000 after a sting operation where no question was asked and no real company existed on behalf of which questions were meant to be asked. He said in this case, questions were asked on behalf of a real company in return for favours.

He recalled that MP H G Mudgal got thrown out of the Lok Sabha in 1951 when Jawaharlal Nehru was the prime minister because he had links with the Mumbai bullion. Mudgal had to resign to preempt an expulsion motion moved against him by Nehru himself. Mudgal had been accused of taking Rs 1000 each on two occasions to ask questions on behalf of the Bullion Merchants Association.

On the issue that login passwords were shared with PAs, Dubey said PAs, like MPs, were paid their salaries by Parliament and that their I-card was also made after police verification just like that of the MPs. He added the charge of someone else operating the system from afar was different. He said the risk was grave as the entire Government of India was on the National Informatics Centre (NIC).