Congress MP and Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has reacted to the ‘cash for question’ row in which Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra is allegedly accused. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury attacked the Centre over the row, saying the government got distressed as the name of an industrialist, whom it tried to “protect”, has come up. Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s suspension over the Modi surname defamation case, the Congress leader also said that whoever speaks against the industrialist becomes an enemy of the country.
“When Rahul Gandhi too raised a question about that specific industrialist, action was taken against him,” Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.
According to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s complaint to the Parliament Ethics Committee, Advocate Dehadrai had provided him proof of TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s involvement in the alleged ‘cash for query’ scandal i.e., Mahua Moitra took money and gifts for asking questions on Gautam Adani that allegedly came from businessman Darshan Hiranandani.
In an affidavit, filed this morning, Darshan Hiranandani claimed Mahua Moitra even gave him her Parliament login credentials to post questions. In the affidavit, Darshan Hiranandani had admitted to “his friendship with the TMC MP Mahua Moitra and claimed that the Lok Sabha Member saw attacking the Adani group as a route to fame”.
“She became Lok Sabha MP in May 2019. She was advised by her friends that the shortest route to fame was by attacking Narendra Modi. She thought that the only way to attack PM Modi was by attacking Gautam Adani and his group as they both come from Gujarat,” the affidavit read.
The affidavit claimed that Mahua Moitra made “frequent demands” such as “expensive luxury items, providing support on the renovation of her officially allotted bungalow in Delhi, travel expenses, holidays, apart from providing secretarial and logistical help for her travels within India and to different parts of the world.”
WE RAISE PEOPLE’S QUESTIONS: ADHIR
“When we go to Parliament, we go as people’s representatives. We raise people’s questions — wherever we get these questions from. If the government has any answer, it gives. Otherwise, it does not. But I have never seen such promptness in forming an Ethics Committee and starting an investigation,” Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also said that the issue was being made into a rai ka pahaad (mountain out of a molehill).
“…the ruling party wants to throttle everyone inside and outside Parliament. Based on this, I feel the issue is rai ka pahaad (mountain out of a molehill). If anyone speaks against that industrialist, the government gets rattled. This should also be investigated. The government has all the agencies,” Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.
“Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels ? Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!” Click here!
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
More
Less
Updated: 20 Oct 2023, 08:59 PM IST
