BJP USING ITS LITTLE WEASELS TO SHUT ME UP

It is difficult to corner Mahua Moitra and confine her into neat little boxes of traditional norms.

-  RIYAD MATHEW & SONI MISHRA

The only norm that the Lok Sabha MP has followed is to defy the powers that be. In doing so, she has ruffled feathers, and some would say that she has done so even within her own party. Faced with the toughest challenge of her political career so far, Moitra is fighting back fiercely. The same combativeness is well evident in her exclusive interview with THE WEEK where she says that she has nothing to hide and that the Ethics Committee acted like a kangaroo court. Edited excerpts:

Q/ The Ethics Committee has finalised its report which will come to the Lok Sabha, dominated by the BJP. If they expel you, what will be your first step?

A/ In this case, there is no mention of any cash. Although the fake complaint talks about cash, the so-called corroborating affidavit makes no mention of it. So where is the bloody cash? About these gifts, there is a very vague paragraph in the corroborating affidavit. This person who is the alleged bribe giver is an Indian citizen, he is equally culpable of bribing a public servant. So where is the list of gifts? Why was this person not called by the Ethics Committee? The only gifts on the table are the ones that I have spoken about, which is one birthday present and two lipsticks.

The recommendations of the Ethics Committee are laughable. Number one is to expel, number two is to ask an agency to investigate. So if you have not found any evidence, how do you ask for someone’s expulsion? The Ethics Committee cannot expel an MP, only a special committee or a Privileges Committee can. This is a kangaroo court. Let the expulsion happen and I will then let people know what I am going to do next.

Q/ You have the option of filing a writ petition.