All-party meet to evolve consensus to tackle MPs unethical practic

New Delhi, May 14 (UNI) In the wake of the human trafficking case, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has convened an all-party meeting here tomorrow to evolve a consensus on the actions to be taken against the Members of Parliament (MPs) misusing their privileges and indulging in malpractices.

The meeting comes a fortnight after BJP member Babubhai Katara was barred from attending the Lok Sabha for his alleged involvement in a human trafficking case, The meeting is mainly to discuss the involvement of Katara, who was arrested on April eight along with a woman and a teenager when he tried to fly them to Canada on the diplomatic passports of his wife and son, in the human smuggling case.

Katara, who was suspended from the BJP, is now in jail. A two-time MP, Katara represents Dahod seat in Gujarat.

''The meeting will decide a course of action as to how such matters may be dealt with in future so that the prestige of Parliament is upheld,'' a source at the Speaker's Office said.

The meeting assumes significance in the context of the Delhi Police reissuing notices to four more MPs whose names were mentioned in the Katara case.

The four MPs--Ramswarup Koli (BJP), Mohammad Tahir Khan, Ashok Kumar Rawat and Mitrasen Yadav (all BSP)--have been asked to appear before police. However, two of them appeared before police today.

Tomorrow's meeting is the second exercise by the Speaker to discuss the Katara issue and also the larger issue of ethics of elected People's representatives.

The Speaker held a meeting with leaders of all political parties on April 25 to discuss the Katara issue .

As per the decision of the first all-party meeting, Chatterjee had barred Katara from attending the sitting of the Lok Sabha " till the matter has been deliberated upon by the leaders again and a decision is taken. " Some groups have already demanded that the government do away with facilities such as diplomatic passports given to MPs.

Though several malpractices involving the MPs had come to the fore in the past, the human trafficking scandal has sent shivers down the spine of the political parties in view of the magnitude of the crime which includes misusefor making money of the diplomatic passports issued to the family of the MPs.

In 2006, 11 MPs were caught on camera when they were receiving money to put questions in Parliament. All the 11 MPs were expelled from Parliament subsequently.

The same year, another seven MPs were named in another sting operation willing to take money for ordering some fictitious project in return for payment from the MPs' Local Area Development (MPLAD) Fund.

UNI