Ethics committee’s Moitra probe marred by Opposition walkout over ‘unethical’ questions

Moitra and her fellow opposition MPs emerged from the committee’s questioning, criticising the line of inquiry.

| Updated: 02 November, 2023 6:31 pm IST

The Questions Asked To Mahua Moitra After Which She Walked Out Of Meet Mahua Moitra is the Trinamool Congress' Lok Sabha MP from Bengal's Krishnanagar

KOLKATA: In a dramatic turn of events, opposition parliamentarians staged walkouts from the Lok Sabha ethics committee’s session, expressing strong reservations regarding the questions posed to Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra.

The walkouts occurred as the panel was grilling Moitra based on the allegations made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey in the ‘Cash for Query’ case. Opposition members outside the committee chamber condemned Moitra’s treatment and labelled it as “unethical.”

Moitra and her fellow opposition MPs emerged from the committee’s questioning, criticising the line of inquiry. “The ethics committee is asking all unethical questions,” Moitra stated, reflecting the opposition’s sentiment.

Danish Ali, who was present during the panel’s questioning of Moitra, explained the walkout, emphasising the committee’s unethical line of questioning, which delved into private matters such as her nighttime conversations and their nature.

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Another Congress MP opined that it seemed the ethics committee was acting at someone’s behest, and there was no evidence of a cash transfer.

Vinod Sonkar, Chairman of the Parliament Ethics Committee, addressed the media outside, revealing, “Moitra instead of cooperating and answering the questions became very angry. The opposition MPs present there tried to accuse the committee. The committee will decide on further course of action.”

Nishikant Dubey, who had acted as a witness alongside Jai Anant Dehadrai, asserted, “In public, Moitra tried to set up a wrong narrative. This is the darkest day in the history of parliament.”

On October 31, the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee summoned Mahua Moitra to respond to the cash-for-query charges. However, following Durga Puja, Moitra had requested more time due to prior commitments and assured the committee of her appearance after November 4. The committee summoned her today.

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The charges against Moitra were levelled by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. In their complaint, BJP’s Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai alleged that Moitra had shared her Lok Sabha login and password with industrialist Hiranandani, who, in an affidavit submitted to the Ethics Committee, turned approver.

The political storm was ignited when BJP’s Nishikant Dubey accused Moitra, who represents the Krishnanagar constituency in West Bengal, of providing Darshan Hiranandani and the Hiranandani Conglomerate with access to her Lok Sabha website login credentials for personal gain, considering it the most serious of all the charges against her.

Dubey went further by seeking Moitra’s “immediate suspension” from the House based on his accusations. The Parliamentary Ethics Committee summoned Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai on October 26.

Following Dubey’s complaint against Moitra, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla referred the matter to the Ethics panel.