BJP lawmaker accuses Mahua Moitra of taking bribes from businessmen for asking questions in Parliament; Here’s what she said

Nishikant Dubey, a lawmaker for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi, charged Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra on Sunday with “taking bribes” from a businessman in order to ask questions in Parliament. He urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to appoint an “inquiry committee” to look into the allegations against Moitra.

In response, Moitra said she “welcomes any move against her after the Lok Sabha Speaker is finished dealing with pending charges against him (Dubey)”.

Dubey cites documents against Mahua Moitra in letter to Parliament

The two lawmakers frequently argue verbally with one another. Previously, Moitra provided evidence to support her assertion that Dubey had forged his degree in his election affidavit.

According to the Lok Sabha secretariat, Birla did not read Dubey’s letter till Sunday afternoon. In the letter, Dubey cited documents from an advocate and asserted that they provide “irrefutable” proof that the Trinamool Congress leader and a businessman exchanged bribes.

“There is not an iota of doubt about a criminal conspiracy hatched by Mahua Moitra to garner and protect the business interests of a businessman – Shri Darshan Hiranandani – by asking Parliamentary Questions, which is reminiscent of ‘Cash for Query’ episode of 12 December, 2005,” the BJP MP said.

Comeback from Moitra

Hitting back, Moitra said on X (formerly Twitter), “Am using all my ill-gotten cash & gifts to buy a college/ university in which Degree Dubey can finally buy a real degree.” The Trinamool MP also urged Birla to “Finish the enquiries against him for false affidavits & then set up my enquiry committee.”

Am using all my ill gotten cash & gifts to buy a college/ university in which Degree Dubey can finally buy a real degree.

Please @ombirlakota @loksabhaspeaker finish the enquiries against him for false affidavits & then set up my enquiry committee.

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) October 15, 2023

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Moitra questions Dubey on Adani Group

In his letter to Birla, Dubey claimed that 50 of Moitra’s 61 inquiries were centered on the Adani Group, a business conglomerate that the TMC MP has frequently accused of misconduct, particularly after it was the target of a damning Hindenburg report on short-selling that caused a market crash for the group’s stocks. Adani has rejected any wrongdoing.

“Multiple breach of privileges pending against fake degreewala & other BJP luminaries. Welcome any motions against me right after Speaker finishes dealing with those. Also waiting for ED & others to file FIR in Adani coal scam before coming to my doorstep,” Moitra posted on X.

Dubey, making reference to the 2005 media exposé of numerous MPs asking questions in Parliament in exchange for bribery, claimed in his letter to Birla that Moitra’s actions signal the return of “cash for query” in his statement.