Mahua Moitra, opposition MPs walk out of Lok Sabha Ethics panel meeting; JD-U MP says she was asked “personal questions”

NEW DELHI: TMC MP Mahua Moitra, who appeared before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee over cash-for-query allegations against her and opposition members of the panel “walked out” of the meeting on Thursday afternoon.

#WATCH | Delhi: Opposition parties MPs including TMC MP Mahua Moitra and BSP MP Danish Ali, walked out from the Parliament Ethics Committee meeting.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra appeared before the Parliament Ethics Committee in connection with the 'cash for query' charge against her. pic.twitter.com/EkwYLPnD1O

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2023

Opposition members raised questions over the line of questioning and alleged that “personal questions” were posed to the Trinamool Congress MP. Among those who walked out were BSP MP Danish Ali, Janata Dal (United) MP Giridhari Yadav and Congress MP Uttam Kumar Reddy.

“They asked personal questions to the woman (Mahua Moitra). They do not have the right to ask personal questions, so we walked out,” Giridhari Yadav later said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that there was no reply to their queries about the BJP MP, who made the complaint, “having some information” which is supposed to come to the panel.

“The whole line of questions it seems that he’s (Parliament Ethics Committee Chairman) acting on somebody’s behest. It is very, very bad. For two days we have been asking him some things. They are asking her (Mahua Moitra) where are you travelling? Where are you meeting? Can you give us your phone records? There is no evidence of any cash transfer,” he said.

Moitra appeared before the Ethics Committee in connection with the alleged ‘Cash for Query’ charge against her on Thursday morning.

Sources said Moitra gave her statement and she was to be cross-examined by the members on the basis of complaint made by BJP MP Nishkant Dubey and Advocate Jai Dehadrai. The Ethics Committee is led by BJP MP Vinod Sonkar.

Moitra had earlier in a letter to the ethics panel requested for a summons date after November 5 citing pre-scheduled Vijaya Dashmi programmes. The panel, however, asked her to appear on November 2.

Moitra is facing ‘Cash for Query’ charges made by Dubey, who alleged that the Trinamool MP had taken bribes from Dubai-based businessman Hiranandani to raise questions in Parliament to target the Adani Group.

Dubey also wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, titled “Re-emergence of nasty ‘Cash for Query’ in Parliament”, seeking a probe into the matter. He also claimed that Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai had provided him with proof of alleged bribes.

Both Dubey and Jai Dehadrai have appeared before the panel.

On Wednesday, Moitra made public her letter to the Ethics Committee chairman.

Posting a two-page letter on her X handle, Moitra said, “Since the Ethics Committee deemed it fit to release my summons to the media I think it is important I too release my letter to the Committee before my hearing.

In her letter, Moitra alleged that advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai “had provided no documentary evidence to back his allegations in either his written complaint and neither could he provide any evidence in his oral hearing.”

“In keeping with the principles of natural justice I wish to exercise my right to cross-examine Dehadrai,” she wrote in her letter to the Committee.” (ANI)