Moitra tried to create wrong narrative about LS ethics panel proceedings: Nishikant Dubey

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday alleged that TMC MP Mahua Moitra tried to build a wrong narrative about the proceedings of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee that is probing ''gifts-for-query'' allegations against her.

''No power'' in the world can save Moitra given the evidence submitted by him, advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, businessman Darshan Hiranandani, the IT ministry, home ministry and the external affairs ministry in the matter, the BJP leader said.

The parliamentary panel will take such a decision that no MP in the future can indulge in such activity, the BJP MP claimed.

Moitra has been accused of asking questions, which were keyed in through her parliamentary account, at the behest of Hiranandani in return for bribes and favours from the Dubai-based scion of a well-known business family.

The BJP MP's remark came hours after opposition members of the ethics panel stormed out of the meeting along with Moitra, accusing the committee's chairperson of asking the TMC leader personal and unethical questions.

Today, she is not that firebrand person and has come out with opposition MPs, he said at a press conference here.

Dubey said that although whatever is told before a parliamentary panel should not be revealed outside, Moitra, who appeared before the committee as an ''accused'', openly gave interviews to the media and kept referring to what happened during the meeting.

''You asked 61 questions. And 50 of these were to allegedly help Darshan Hiranandani. According to reports in the media, as many as 47 times, questions were asked from Darshan Hirananadani's office in Dubai,'' he said, adding, ''Won't the ethics committee ask (her) about it.'' ''You (Mahua Moitra) said Darshan Hiranandani did not do it, (his) PA did it… Does the ethics committee not have the right to ask whom you spoke to over the phone? Who drafted (the questions)? What is the phone number? What are the call details,'' the BJP MP asked.

''If these kinds of questions are asked, does it become personal,'' he said, asserting that the committee was bound to question Moitra on the affidavit filed by the businessman.

''But she tried to build a wrong narrative before the people. Whatever happened today was the darkest day in the country's parliamentary history,'' Dubey claimed, asking Moitra, ''Did you sell your conscience for some money and compromise national security for it or not?'' The BJP leader also alleged that the opposition was perturbed by the fact that the panel is headed by a member who belongs to the Scheduled Castes community.

''Vinod Sonkar, the chairman of the committee, belongs to a Scheduled Castes community. They are not able to digest this and hence, they are making baseless remarks,'' he added.

The BJP MP claimed that Moitra sharing her Lok Sabha login ID and password with someone else also raises the question of national security.

''NIC is the organisation which has the mail IDs of the government (officials), including those in the defence ministry, home ministry, CBI, ED, R&AW and the Prime Minister's Office,'' he said, and asked, ''If the NIC system is compromised, will it raise questions of national security or not?'' There is a government policy in place from 2014 for e-mails and passwords, Dubey said.

''This is NIC's policy, the government of India's policy... If any MP has not read it, it doesn't make such a person's guilt lesser,'' he charged.

Sources said Dubey has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, volunteering for a probe into the details of his parliamentary login IDs in an apparent bid to counter Moitra's claim that it was usual for MPs to share their IDs.

Dubey also alleged that Moitra had earlier tried to help Hiranandani get the government's data protection policy changed in his favour as he used to run a data centre in Noida.

''After the government introduced the data protection bill, it was sent to a joint parliamentary committee, which was then headed by BJP member Meenakashi Lekhi. TMC member Saugat Rai was named as a member of the committee from his party but within two hours, he had to resign due to pressure from Moitra,'' the BJP MP claimed.

''This means that you wanted to help Darshan. There cannot be a bigger example than this,'' he charged.

The BJP MP also targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and asked why he was supporting the TMC MP who has brought ''shame'' to every member of Parliament with her conduct.

''My head hangs in shame today. I am sad that I am a member of a Parliament where questions are being asked for money, where the opposition is trying to help such a corrupt MP,'' he said.

''I want to ask Rahul Gandhi… he says he is fighting against corruption, BRS in Telangana. Today, he is standing by to help such an MP who made every MP's head hang in shame,'' Dubey said, asserting that nothing can help Moitra as Parliament is run as per the law, rules and regulations.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)