BJP's Katara expelled from Lok Sabha

New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Babubhai Katara was Tuesday expelled from the Lok Sabha after the house adopted a resolution dismissing him for his alleged involvement in a human trafficking case.

Katara, who represented Dahod constituency of Gujarat, was arrested at Delhi airport March 2007 year for allegedly trying to take along a woman and boy to Canada on the diplomatic passport of his wife and son.

Moving the resolution in the house, Leader of the Lok Sabha, Pranab Mukherjee said Katara had 'committed an act of grave misconduct which has brought disrepute to and maligned the image of the entire fraternity of legislators'.

'This is the most unpleasant job... but this duty has to be discharged. It is my misfortune that I had to move such motions on several occasions. One has to be extra careful to protect the image of this great institution,' he said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said: 'This is not a happy matter for the members. We are not targeting any member.'

The move followed a report by the privileges committee headed by V. Kishore Chandra Deo. It said: 'Making a fake diplomatic passport in his wife's name can have no motive other than to indulge in human trafficking. He needs to be meted out the severest of punishments.'