Mahua Moitra’s expulsion from Lok Sabha being planned, but it would help her before elections: Mamata Banerjee

Breaking her silence over the controversial expulsion of her party leader Mahua Moitra from Lok Sabha, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that it is being planned. However, she said that the move would boomerang on the Centre’s face and the expulsion would in turn help the MP before elections. 

Speaking at a Tirinamool Congress event, Banerjee said, “This govt at Centre is there for 3 more months. The country’s banking sector is in doldrums, PSUs are being sold.”

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had forwarded a complaint against the Trinamool Congress member by lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai to the Lok Sabha Speaker, accusing her of taking bribes for asking questions in the House at the behest of businessman Hiranandani to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Lok Sabha committee had recommended TMC leader’s expulsion from the House for accepting “illegal gratifications” from a businessman to raise questions in Parliament at his behest, capping weeks of intense political bickering and high drama parallel to its proceedings.

Targets BJP

Banerjee also claimed that the BJP-led government wants to do away with reservations and maintained that she will oppose it. “BJP is also against the reservation for minorities, but we will bring them under the system through OBC quota,” she added. Banerjee also alleged that attempts of “saffronising” the country were underway in full swing — from metro railway stations to the cricket team. “Saffron is the colour of ‘tyagis’, but you are ‘bhogis’,” she said, targetting the BJP, claiming that players resisted, as a result, the Indian cricket team did not have to wear the saffron practice jersey during matches.