Congress MP Shashi Tharoor raises question of jurisdiction, says process of probe against Mahua Moitra smacks of political vendetta

Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the entire process of "probing" cash-for-query allegations against Trinamul MP Mahua Moitra smacked of political vendetta and it was unfortunate that Parliament had been reduced to this.

Speaking to reporters outside the new parliament on Friday that saw the tabling of the ethics committee report recommending the expulsion of TMC leader, the Congress MP said: "It’s most unfortunate that the Parliament is being reduced to such a performance of political vendetta. Truly disappointing."

Here are the details of what Tharoor said:

• "We find it an incredibly inadequate report. It seems to have been adopted in two-and-a-half minutes, according to one of the members of the committee. There has been no proper procedure followed. No attempt to cross-examine those who have made the accusations. And, at the same time, a conclusion of such a major punishment as an expulsion of a member to be arrived at without serious consideration is truly disgraceful"

• "The Opposition, all the INDIA alliance parties are completely convinced that this is a travesty of justice, it would set a very undesirable precedent for the future."

• "There are also fundamental questions of jurisdiction: what is the difference between the privileges committee which has recommended expulsions in the past and the ethics committee? On what basis are they setting a new precedent?"

• "There’s a real question that concerns all of us about the way in which the proposed action for today was to be conducted. Because, we know that there were discussions with the speaker asking for a full-fledged debate before a major decision like this. And the floor leaders have come back saying there is no agreement on a full discussion, nor is there an agreement on Ms Moitra being given a chance to defend herself before she is expelled from a House of which she is a member"