Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], December 16 : Arabinda Das, Chairman of the Media, Communications & Publicity Department of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, responded to the recent expulsion of former Congress MP Mohammed Moquim, saying that he should have restrained himself and waited for a few days before releasing the letter to the press.
Speaking to ANI, Das criticised the actions of Moquim, suggesting that a person of such stature in society must act accordingly, citing his behaviour as "questionable."
"There is nothing wrong with writing a letter expressing displeasure about the party activities. But this is certainly objectionable when a person of Mr Moquim's stature just releases the letter to the press. It is a breach of party discipline. He should have restrained himself. He should have waited for some days at least..." he said.
He further noted that this makes it the second time that Moquim has been expelled for "anti-party" activities.
"This is not the first time that he breached the party leadership's discipline. Earlier also he was also suspended from the party due to anti-party activities, and this time also he has also been expelled from the party," he added.
Meanwhile, Moquim, who had represented the Barabati-Cuttack Assembly constituency in Odisha from the All India Congress Party (AICC) on Monday, was expelled from the party after writing a letter to Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday, expressing concern over what he described as the difficult phase currently being faced by the Congress party.
In the letter, Moquim sought Sonia Gandhi's guidance and called for changes in leadership to address organisational challenges and electoral setbacks.
An official notice issued by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) informed about the decision taken by the party's central leadership.
The notice stated, "This is for the information of all concerned that AICC has approved the proposal for the expulsion of Md. Moquim from the primary membership of the party, due to anti-party activities."
Speaking on the expulsion, Moquim said, "I came to know that I have been expelled from the party. I had taken the right step after due deliberation. We are such a big party, but we are unable to connect with people in every state. We are unable to win. Congress is minimising. So, as a true Congress worker, I thought that if the high command is not meeting us and we are unable to communicate with them..."
In his letter to Sonia Gandhi, Moquin expressed deep anguish over the Congress Party's organisational decline and leadership failures. He described the situation as unprecedented and said it was demoralising for party workers at various levels, and urged urgent corrective steps along with renewed leadership.