Trinamool Congress has, once again, decided to maintain distance from its MP Mahua Moitra and the controversy surrounding allegations that she took bribes to raise questions in Parliament. The Mamata Banerjee-led party on Saturday refused to comment on the allegations.
“The party has nothing to say on this issue. We think the person around whom this controversy is revolving is best suited to react to this,” TMC’s West Bengal general secretary and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said. Another senior TMC leader told PTI that the party leadership was unwilling to get into a controversy.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has filed a complaint with the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal against Moitra.
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Meanwhile, Darshan Hiranandani, CEO of real estate-to-energy group Hiranandani, who allegedly paid Moitra to raise questions in Parliament about Adani Group, recently claimed in a signed affidavit that she targeted Gautam Adani to "malign and embarrass" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PTI reported.
Moitra has 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 shut down" of his family's businesses.
Nishikant Dubey and lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai had, in their complaint, alleged that Moitra accepted favours from Hiranandani in exchange for raising questions in Parliament.
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The TMC MP has filed a defamation suit against them before the Delhi High Court.
Reacting to the development, BJP leader Amit Malviya took a jibe at Mahua Moita in a post on X(formerly Twitter), saying her party “abandoned” her. He also slammed TMC supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, saying she defends no one other than her nephew and party leader Abhishek Banerjee.
"It is not surprising that Mamata Banerjee has abandoned Mahua Moitra. She will defend no one else but Abhishek Banerjee, who is no less delinquent... Several TMC leaders are in jail on serious corruption and criminal charges, but Mamata Banerjee has maintained radio silence,” Malviya said on X.
BJP leader Rahul Sinha also reacted to TMC’s comment, saying West Bengal’s ruling party can’t shrug off its responsibility.
“The TMC always tries to shrug off its responsibility whenever its leaders are either arrested or land into trouble. The TMC needs to explain whether it supports Mahua Moitra or not,” he said.
Dubey's complaint has been referred to Parliament's Ethics Committee by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Vinod Sonkar, the chairman of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, had said he had received the sworn-in affidavit from Hiranandani.
