Cash-for-query: 11 MPs expelled from Parliament

NEW DELHI: Parliamentary history was created on Friday when both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha expelled 11 MPs for misconduct in accepting money for raising questions in the face of severe opposition from BJP and its allies over the procedure.

In a precedent-setting decision in over 50 years, the two Houses, acting swiftly on the recommendations of the Committees that went into the 'cash-for-query' scam exposed by a sting operation on a news channel, adopted motions for their expulsion which said their conduct was "unethical" and "unbecoming" of MPs and their continuance "untenable".

Ten of the 11 MPs, who were not present in the proceedings today, belonged to the Lok Sabha. Of them five belonged to BJP, three to BSP and one each to Congress and RJD.  The lone Rajya Sabha member also belonged to BJP, which interestingly did not press for division during voting.

The 10 members are Annasahed M K Patil, Y G Mahajan, Suresh Chandel, Pradeep Gandhi and Chandra Pratap Singh (all BJP), Narendra Kumar Kushwaha, Lal Chandra Kol and Rajaram Pal (all BSP), Manoj Kumar (RJD) and Ramsevak Singh (Cong) who were caught on camera accepting money for raising questions in the House.

In the Lok Sabha, the party and its allies barring JD-U walked out before Speaker Somnath Chatterjee put the motion, moved by Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee, to vote. Both the Houses adopted the motion by a voice vote.

There was only one case of expulsion for a similar misconduct in 1951 when the Provincial Parliament removed H G Mudgal for accepting money from Bombay Bullion traders for doing their work in Parliament. His resignation was not accepted. 

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, clarified that the decision to appoint House Committee to probe the 'Cash-for-Query' scam was not taken by him unilaterally, but in consultation with party leaders.

'The decision to constitute the P K Bansal Committee was taken in consultation with the party leaders. It was not a unilateral decision,'' the Speaker said, replying to an observation made by a BJP member to this effect in course of his speech.

''It is unfair to bring the Chair into controversy,'' he said, adding that the member was ''making the Chair a part of the controversy.'' Chatterjee clarified that the time allotted to the House Committee was fixed in consultation with party leaders. The Committee report had been presented and now it was for the House to take a decision, he said.

Political funding will help cleanse system: PM

Taking a strong note of the recent events where the dignity of Parliament has been put to question, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today hoped political funding would help cleanse the democratic system.

"It is important to remember that a few wrong-doers in any profession cannot represent the majority of honest and hard-working people. We cannot tarnish all with the same brush," Singh said in his concluding remarks in Rajya Sabha at the end of its winter session.

The Prime Minister termed as "unfortunate" events in the last two weeks in an apparent reference to the cash-for-query scam and members shown taking money for clearing projects under the MPLAD scheme in two TV sting operations.

"I am glad that we have initiated a debate on political funding. I hope we will soon be able to cleanse our democracy of the taint of the greed, the influence of money and the desire for ill-gotten gains," he said.

"I cannot conclude without referring to unfortunate events that have come to light in the past two weeks. We have had no choice but to act to protect the integrity of this citadel of our democratic way of life," he said.

"There is no cause that is greater than the need to ensure that our people's faith in the highest seat of democracy is never weakened," the Prime Minister said. Singh, who is Leader of the House, hailed the passing of Constitution (104) Amendment Bill as well as the Bill for the creation of Commissions for Protection of Child Rights.
Cash-for query: 11 MPs expelled from Parliament

NEW DELHI: Parliamentary history was created on Friday when both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha expelled 11 MPs for misconduct in accepting money for raising questions in the face of severe opposition from BJP and its allies over the procedure.

In a precedent-setting decision in over 50 years, the two Houses, acting swiftly on the recommendations of the Committees that went into the 'cash-for-query' scam exposed by a sting operation on a news channel, adopted motions for their expulsion which said their conduct was "unethical" and "unbecoming" of MPs and their continuance "untenable".

Ten of the 11 MPs, who were not present in the proceedings today, belonged to the Lok Sabha. Of them five belonged to BJP, three to BSP and one each to Congress and RJD.  The lone Rajya Sabha member also belonged to BJP, which interestingly did not press for division during voting.

The 10 members are Annasahed M K Patil, Y G Mahajan, Suresh Chandel, Pradeep Gandhi and Chandra Pratap Singh (all BJP), Narendra Kumar Kushwaha, Lal Chandra Kol and Rajaram Pal (all BSP), Manoj Kumar (RJD) and Ramsevak Singh (Cong) who were caught on camera accepting money for raising questions in the House.

In the Lok Sabha, the party and its allies barring JD-U walked out before Speaker Somnath Chatterjee put the motion, moved by Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee, to vote. Both the Houses adopted the motion by a voice vote.

There was only one case of expulsion for a similar misconduct in 1951 when the Provincial Parliament removed H G Mudgal for accepting money from Bombay Bullion traders for doing their work in Parliament. His resignation was not accepted. 

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, clarified that the decision to appoint House Committee to probe the 'Cash-for-Query' scam was not taken by him unilaterally, but in consultation with party leaders.

'The decision to constitute the P K Bansal Committee was taken in consultation with the party leaders. It was not a unilateral decision,'' the Speaker said, replying to an observation made by a BJP member to this effect in course of his speech.

''It is unfair to bring the Chair into controversy,'' he said, adding that the member was ''making the Chair a part of the controversy.'' Chatterjee clarified that the time allotted to the House Committee was fixed in consultation with party leaders. The Committee report had been presented and now it was for the House to take a decision, he said.

Political funding will help cleanse system: PM

Taking a strong note of the recent events where the dignity of Parliament has been put to question, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today hoped political funding would help cleanse the democratic system.

"It is important to remember that a few wrong-doers in any profession cannot represent the majority of honest and hard-working people. We cannot tarnish all with the same brush," Singh said in his concluding remarks in Rajya Sabha at the end of its winter session.

The Prime Minister termed as "unfortunate" events in the last two weeks in an apparent reference to the cash-for-query scam and members shown taking money for clearing projects under the MPLAD scheme in two TV sting operations.

"I am glad that we have initiated a debate on political funding. I hope we will soon be able to cleanse our democracy of the taint of the greed, the influence of money and the desire for ill-gotten gains," he said.

"I cannot conclude without referring to unfortunate events that have come to light in the past two weeks. We have had no choice but to act to protect the integrity of this citadel of our democratic way of life," he said.

"There is no cause that is greater than the need to ensure that our people's faith in the highest seat of democracy is never weakened," the Prime Minister said. Singh, who is Leader of the House, hailed the passing of Constitution (104) Amendment Bill as well as the Bill for the creation of Commissions for Protection of Child Rights.