'You paid heavy price for throttling voice of one MP': Mahua Moitra attacks government
'You paid heavy price for throttling voice of one MP': Mahua Moitra attacks government
NEW DELHI: Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra on Monday took a swipe at BJP's reduced strength in Lok Sabha and said the saffron party had paid the price for targeting her. Speaking during a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address to a joint sitting of Parliament, she said the BJP will not be able to treat the opposition the way they treated them during the last session.
"The last time I stood here I was not allowed to speak. But the ruling party has paid a very heavy price for throttling the voice of one MP. In an attempt to suppress me, people made 63 of your members sit permanently," the Trinamool MP said in her speech. "In their attempt to silence me, the public silenced them, causing them to lose 63 MPs ... mujhko bithane ke chakkar mein janta ne aapko bitha diya, aapke 63 MPs loss kar diya," Moitra said setting a defiant tone.
The Trinamool leader was making a reference to her expulsion from the 17th Lok Sabha over charges that she took bribes to ask questions and shared her parliamentary login details with others. Moitra was expelled after a discussion on the report of the Ethics Committee that held her guilty.
The Trinamool leader criticised the President's speech and said some critical issues were not mentioned. "The BJP's 'raj tantra' has been reduced by the 'lok tantra' of this country. This is not a stable government. It depends on multiple allies who have a history of U-turns. We are 234 warriors this time, having walked on fire. You will not be able to treat us like last time," she said.
The Trinamool MP also targeted the government over Manipur and said: "There are six themes in the President's address. The budget for northeast has increased four times, yet the word 'Manipur' is nowhere in the speech."
"The Prime Minister mentioned 'Muslim', 'madrassa', 'mutton', 'machhli' and 'mujra' but not 'Manipur' once during the campaigning. We don't need you to look East or act East. We need you to work East and, most importantly, embrace East," she said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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