Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra asserted on Saturday that the BJP's "cash-for-query" accusation against her has "fallen flat" due to a lack of supporting evidence. She also questioned how the "dodgy FPI owned Adani" received clearance to acquire ports and airports.
In a post on X, Moitra stated: "First BJP said 'Cash for Questions.' That failed since NO evidence to back fake allegation. Now it is 'National Security.'"
"Real? Not of Q&A portal that 10 people in each MP team access daily — it is how dodgy FPI owned Adani gets MHA clearance to buy our ports and airports!" she remarked, without providing further details.
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Moitra's comments came a day after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey, who initially made the "cash-for-questions" accusation against her, stated in a post on X that sharing parliamentary portal login details with anyone violates the agreement with the government body (NIC) that manages the portal and poses a security risk.
The TMC MP continued her criticism of the business conglomerate led by Gautam Adani. She had recently posted on X, suggesting that unknown foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) holding Adani Group shares were a more significant national security concern than an email ID.
Moitra has been at the center of a political controversy since Dubey wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, citing a letter from advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, the former partner of the TMC leader.
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The Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee is investigating the complaint that Moitra accepted bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to target the Adani Group.
Dubey and Dehadrai provided "oral evidence" to the committee on Thursday.
Moitra has denied the charges against her but admitted, in remarks to the media, that she shared her parliamentary portal login details with Hiranandani to assist in typing questions on her behalf, as he has been a long-time friend. She has emphasized that this was solely intended to aid her and rejected any quid pro quo.
The TMC MP has claimed that the Adani Group is behind the "baseless" allegations due to her strong criticism of the business conglomerate and the government's alleged support for it.
Dubey, a prominent BJP voice in the Lok Sabha who often targets the opposition on various issues, alleged on Saturday that Hiranandani and Moitra are still in contact and that efforts are being made to influence witnesses.
Hiranandani had submitted an affidavit in which he admitted to bribing Moitra to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Moitra alleged that the businessman had filed the affidavit under duress.
In her letter to the committee on Friday, she stated: "I wish to place on record that any inquiry without the oral evidence of Shri Hiranandani will be incomplete, unfair, and akin to holding a proverbial 'kangaroo court,' and he too will need to be called to depose before the committee before it prepares its final report."
