Opposition leaders, MPs voice support for TMC's Mahua Moitra after expulsion from Lok Sabha

Opposition leaders and MPs on Friday sprung into expelled Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra's support accusing the government of conspiring to expel Opposition lawmakers from Parliament and taking action without even hearing her side of the story.

Several leaders called the Ethics Committee report "erroneous" while charging the ruling BJP of using "brute majority" to target the Opposition.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said it was "incredibly inadequate" report and the panel did not follow proper procedure. There was no attempt to cross-examine those who have made accusations and at the same time the conclusion of such a major punishment as the expulsion of an MP to arrive at without serious consideration is "truly disgraceful", he said.

Emphasising that the all the I.N.D.I.A parties "completely convinced" that this is a "travesty of justice", he said Mahua's expulsion would set a "very undesirable precedent" for the future. "All of this suggests to us a political vendetta and not a judicially sustainable process. It is most unfortunate that Parliament is being reduced to such a performance of political vendetta," he said.

BSP MP Danish Ali, who had submitted a dissent note to the panel report recommending her expulsion said that it showed that if one has a "brute majority, that doesn't mean you will expel the MPs from the opposition parties".

AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said it was "extremely unfortunate" that BJP MP Brij Bhushan, who is accused of sexual abuse of women wrestlers, is in the Parliament and Mahua has been expelled while calling the development a "conspiracy by the BJP".

"The way this is done is undemocratic. The allegations against her have not been proven yet. This is a part of a conspiracy to silence the Opposition," JMM MP Mahua Majhi said.

Congress Lok Sabha Whip Manickam Tagore said, "You are seeing a new Parliament and new set of rules. Whoever speaks against Adani, they will be silenced, Mahua Moitra is a perfect example of this. She was not allowed to speak at all in Parliament. This is a planned political conspiracy. Democracy failed today and it is a black day for democracy."

"It is an unfortunate event. The House has relied on a very erroneous report, a report which has no legal basis, and a report which has violated every principle of natural justice and has violated the procedure of evidence," Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said.