She has time to give interviews while escaping examining by ethics panel: BJP MP jibes Mahua Moitra

New Delhi, Oct 29

The war of words between BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra got more intense on Sunday as the saffron party leader targeted her for giving interviews to media while escaping the Parliament's Ethics Committee in the alleged 'cash for Parliament questions' charge.

Dubey took to X and said, "It is requested to all the respected friends of the media that the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha is investigating corruption and putting national security at bay by taking money."

He said that what has come before the committee is "confidential".

"The accused does not have time to go to the committee but the media. There is ample time to give an interview. Till date, I have not given an interview to any media on this subject, it is the dignity of the Parliament. It is (Darshan) Hiranandani ji, the friend of the accused MP, who is responsible for his going abroad, stay, giving valuables and traveling expenses (cash). It is mentioned in the affidavit. We should wait for the report of the committee. This is not a question of the party and opposition, not man or woman, national security, corruption, dignity of Parliament and the conduct and behavior of us MPs. Please let Parliament decide," the BJP Lok Sabha MP said.

His remarks came after Moitra gave interviews to several media outlets.

She was first asked by the Ethics Committee to appear before it on October 31.

Following the developments, Moitra sent a letter to the Ethics Committee Chairperson Vinod Sonkar saying that she will depose on any date after November 5 after her pre scheduled constituency programme ends and not on October 31.

In her two-page letter to Sonkar, the Trinamool Congress MP from West Bengal’s Krishnanagar said that an affidavit notarised at the Indian High Commission in Dubai on October 20 was submitted on a suo moto basis to the Committee and released publicly to the media by Hiranandani.

She said that Hiranandani in a public interview to a news channel on October 23 expressed his willingness to appear before the committee.

Following her letter, the Ethics Committee again asked her to appear on November 2. The ethics committee has, however, warned Moitra that no further extensions in dates beyond November 2 will be entertained.

The ethics committee is probing BJP MP Dubey's allegations that Moitra accepted cash and favours for asking questions in Lok Sabha on businessman Gautam Adani at the behest of businessman Hiranandani.

On Thursday, Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai gave "oral evidence" to the panel against Moitra.