BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Wednesday launched a fresh salvo at Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra over allegations that the latter took bribes from a businessman in exchange for raising questions on the Adani issue in Parliament.
He said the question was not about the Adani issue or ‘fake degree’, an old jab against him by Moitra, but “about your corruption by misleading the country”.
Also Read: ‘Party’s appropriate decision after probe’: TMC on ‘cash-for-query’ allegations against Mahua Moitra
In a tweet in Hindi on X (formerly Twitter), Nishikant Dubey wrote, “The question is about Parliament’s decorum, national security and about the MP’s propriety, corruption and criminality. She has to answer if National Informatics Centre (NIC) mails were accessed in Dubai, whether questions were asked for money and who covered expenses for trips abroad. She has to answer if she took the permission of the Lok Sabha Speaker and External Affairs Ministry for her trips.”
“The question is not about Adani, degree or theft, but about your corruption by misleading the country,” he said, adding hashtags of “degree wali desh beche” (degree holder sells the country) and “chand paise ke le jamir beche” (she sold her conscience for money).
Earlier on Tuesday, Information Technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw wrote to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey over the alleged parliamentary login sharing by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, and said the matter is “of grave importance”. The National Informatics Centre, he said, will cooperate with the Parliamentary Ethics Committee to investigate the matter, he added.
“The issues raised in your letter are undoubtedly of grave importance. The subject matter of your letter is currently under investigation by the Committee on Ethics… NIC will promptly respond to any instructions in this matter from the Lok Sabha Secretariat. NIC will also extend full cooperation to the Committee on Ethics in investigation of this matter,” his letter read.
Dubey on his X handle shared a screenshot of the letter written by Union information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Following this, Mahua Moitra lashed out at Nishikant Dubey and called him ‘Farji Dubey’.
“Amused to hear of @AshwiniVaishnaw letter to Fake Degree Wala promising support in “probe” against me!” read Moitra’s response on X. “Still waiting for @HMOIndia & @Ministry_CA to probe Farji Dubey’s illegal entry into airport ATC room last year with kids!” she added, with hashtag “#BJPHitJobUnravelling!”
Cash-for-query row
A row erupted on October 15 when Dubey accused Moitra of “asking questions in Parliament in exchange for cash and gifts” from businessman Darshan Hiranandani. He urged Speaker Om Birla to constitute an inquiry committee to look into the charges against her. Birla has referred Dubey’s complaint to Parliament’s Ethics Committee.
Citing a letter he received from Jai Anant Dehadrai, a Supreme Court lawyer, Dubey said the advocate shared “irrefutable” evidence of bribes being given to Moitra.
The row intensified when Darshan Hiranandani, the CEO of real estate-to-energy group Hiranandani, claimed in a letter that Moitra targeted Gautam Adani to “malign and embarrass Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose impeccable reputation gave opposition no opportunity to attack him”.
Moitra, however, raised questions over the credibility of Hiranandani’s affidavit, alleging that it was “drafted by the PMO” and he was forced to sign it after being “threatened” with a “total shutdown” of his family’s businesses.
Meanwhile, the TMC said it would take appropriate decision on the matter after the Parliamentary Ethics Committee completes its probe.
(With inputs from PTI)