Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has said that she rebuffed a “cash-to-not-question” offer from businessman Gautam Adani, calling the allegations against her — of taking cash to ask questions in Parliament at a businessman’s behest — an “elaborate smear campaign” and a “badly set-up hit job to try and kick me out of Parliament for six months”.
In an interview to The Telegraph, she said, “As a member of Parliament, I am allowed to use all means to seek information to ask questions and utilise any information given to me, via any means, to ask any question… I challenge anyone to prove one rupee of cash has ever exchanged hands.”.
Moitra, who represents Krishnanagar in West Bengal, has been accused of taking cash and expensive gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for her Parliament log-in ID and password.
The matter is now being investigated by the ethics committee of the Lok Sabha, which will hear the case on 26 October.
In an affidavit filed before the committee, Hiranandani has accused Moitra of spreading unverified information about Gautam Adani to “attack PM Modi”. Moitra, however, has dismissed the affidavit, saying Hiranandani had been coerced to write it.
Asked why the Trinamool Congress had remained silent on the allegations, Moitra said, “I speak truth to power and truth doesn’t need back-up forces. I will continue this fight.”
Trinamool Congress MP and the party’s leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien had told news agency PTI Sunday that the allegations against Moitra have “to do with an elected member (of the Lok Sabha), her rights, her privileges, let this be probed by the right forum of Parliament”.
“After that, the leadership will take the appropriate decision on the matter,” he said.
Trinamool Congress had also refrained from comment when MP Nusrat Jahan’s name emerged as part of an alleged case of financial fraud in August.
Also Read: Mahua Moitra has constitutional immunity. Even if she took bribe, she can’t be prosecuted
‘Moitra a strong leader’
Moitra isn’t new to controversies but the TMC’s silence appears to have given the BJP more ammo to attack the Trinamool heavyweight as well as the party.
On X, BJP Bengal in-charge Amit Malviya said “it is not surprising that Mamata Banerjee has abandoned Mahua Moitra”.
“She will defend no one else but Abhishek Banerjee, who is no less delinquent… Several TMC leaders are in jail on serious corruption and criminal charges but Mamata Banerjee has maintained radio silence,” he added.
However, Trinamool insiders told ThePrint that the party is sitting this out because “Mahua Moitra is a strong leader who can fight her own battles and doesn’t need anyone to defend her”.
A party leader said the senior leadership is in touch with Moitra, and she’s consulting them before issuing statements.
The Trinamool Congress’ second-in-command, Abhishek Banerjee, is being kept in the loop as Mamata Banerjee continues to be under medical supervision at her Kalighat residence, it is learnt.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who first filed the complaint against Moitra with the Lok Sabha speaker, has also demanded a lokpal probe against her.
The BJP MP from Godda said he was in possession of a letter v written by Mahua Moitra’s former partner Jai Anant Dehadrai that “gives details of the cash exchange”.
On her part, Moitra has said she is even open to a CBI inquiry.
“Got a message about impending CBI raid. I am busy with Durga Puja. I invite CBI to come home & count my pairs of shoes. But first please file FiR into Rs 13,000 crore coal money Adani stole from Indians,” she wrote on X Saturday.
Also Read: Mahua Moitra has asked 62 questions in LS. Here’s what she wanted to know on Adani & Hiranandani