Dipankar Bhattacharya condemns Mahua Moitra's expulsion

Patna: Strongly condemning expulsion of TMC leader Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya on Sunday demanded "immediate restoration" of her membership.

In a statement issued here, Bhattacharya alleged that the action against Moitra was a "brazen attempt to silence the opposition" by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

Bhattacharya dubbed the expulsion of Moitra as "yet another instance of the ruling BJP's vindictive attitude, which has earlier been reflected in the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and arrest of AAP MP Sanjay Singh".

"A tearing hurry was shown in expelling Mahua Moitra even as BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri remains unscathed despite the sectarian slurs he uttered against BSP MP Danish Ali on the floor of the House", said the Left leader.

He also claimed that the BJP had "mandated" the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee to indict Moitra on an "extremely weak complaint" of its Jharkhand MP Nishikant Dubey who was a "habitual offender" in terms of making "derogatory and misogynistic remarks."

"Her expulsion is a clear sign that the BJP will go to any extent in delegitimizing those who raise questions about its nexus with powerful corporate houses like the Adani group," alleged the CPI(ML) Liberation leader whose party is a part of the ruling 'Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar and the INDIA coalition.