Danish Ali, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh, was suspended on Saturday by party president Mayawati for “anti-party activities”.
"You were warned many times against statements or actions against the policies, ideology and discipline of the party. But, despite that you have continuously been acting against the party," the BSP said in a statement. A suspended MP is bound by the party whip.
Ali’s suspension came a day after the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee said he should be admonished “for twisting/moulding the intent of question” put to TMC MP Mahua Moitra by the committee chairperson.
The ethics committee called for the expulsion of Moitra after finding her “guilty of unethical conduct” during its probe into the cash-for-query allegations against her.
A member of the committee, Ali was one of the five Opposition MPs who protested against the questions posed to Moitra, which they deemed “undignified and unethical”.
Ali has denied his party's charge and said he has "never done any kind of anti-party work".
"I have diligently tried to strengthen the BSP and has never done any kind of anti-party work. The people of my Amroha area are witness to this. I have definitely opposed the anti-people policies of the BJP government and will continue to do so. If doing this is a crime, then I have committed a crime and I am ready to face any punishment for it," he said, as quoted by the Indian Express.
“I will always be grateful to Behan Mayawatiji for giving me a BSP ticket and supporting me in becoming a member of Lok Sabha. Behanji also appointed me the leader of the BSP legislature group. I always got her affection and support. Her decision today is unfortunate,” he told media persons.
Ali said he had always raised his voice against “looting of public properties by a few selected capitalists” and he will continue doing so because that is real public service.
“If doing this is a crime then I have committed this crime, and I am ready to be punished for it. I want to assure the people of Amroha that I will always be at your service,” he said.
“The kind of decision taken in the matter of Mahua Moitraji, I found it my responsibility to stand against injustice to a women parliamentarian… in the Ethics Committee and yesterday too,” Ali said on the expulsion of Moitra from Lok Sabha.
Ali had also previously been a target of communal insults by BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri on the parliamentary floor in September, during the discussion on the Chandrayaan 3 mission. The issue is currently under consideration by the Privileges Committee.
A former JD(S) leader, Ali was elected MP on the BSP ticket in 2019 when the BSP contested in alliance with the SP.