Trapped in a whirlpool of questions for asking questions in Parliament

“No one has any objection to Mahua Moitra asking questions in Parliament. The public has elected her only to ask questions in Parliament, but if an MP forgets the problems of the area and becomes the spokesperson of an industrialist, then there is a problem.

One Indian law maker who has created a name for herself due to her firebrand image and ability to ask strong questions to the government of India, is now facing a tough time as like many others. She joins the class of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Sanjay Singh of Aam Aadmi Party.  Mahua Moitra, seems to be fighting with her back to the wall, after being accused of asking questions, for a consideration, at the behest of a businessman, to tarnish the image of Industrialist Gautam Adani.

The charges are of a serious nature, as not only these concern the moral values of a lawmaker but also are related to the top Industrialist Gautam Adani, who is known to be under patronage of Narendra Modi government.  The charges are hard-wearing and if proven could lead to her possible disqualification from the House.  If it happens, it would mean a major setback to her political career. It could mean  an end of career that was regarded as perhaps the most vibrant and outstanding Parliamentarian of the current Parliament.

It all started with Jai Anant Dehadrai, an advocate with whom Mahua shared a long and close relationship, but now has fallen out, has alleged that she had been targeting Gautam Adani after being fed questions by rival businessman, Darshan Hiranandani, and was receiving expensive gifts and cash payments from him.

Dehadrai while asking for an investigation, had also sent a copy of his complaint to Nishikant Dubey, a BJP MP, who forwarded it to the Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla. Intriguingly Dubey, had once been accused by Mahua of possessing a fake degree. His letter to the Speaker has been referred to the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha for further action.

To make matters worse for the Mahua Moitra, Darshan Hiranandani has also sent a sworn affidavit to the Lok Sabha secretariat, stating that he indeed had provided the not only inputs but also questions against Gautam Adani. Also, he claimed that Mahua Moitra provided login credentials of her official account and thus enabling him to upload questions on the Lok Sabha portal on her behalf.

MP Moitra Mahua has denied all the allegations, which she has described as the handiwork of those who had been offended by her asking questions about industrialist Adani and his links with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She maintains that that Dehadrai had a grudge against her because of their parting ways, and Darshan Hiranandani had been pressurized to implicate her in a false case.

The Ethics Committee has asked Nishikant Dubey to appear before it and if required could also summon Mahua Moitra for her version. Allegations if established could lead to legal and criminal implications which would be detrimental to the future of the Mohua Moitra.

The case took a weird turn, when the affidavit by Hiranandani found its way into media, and Chairman of ethics committee Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar,  spoke to media about the case. Giving enough ammunition to Mohua Moitra to slam the Ethics Committee.  The members of the committee seem to be eager in getting publicity while making sure that the embroiled member of parliament is defamed. Thus, raising questions about the legality of the complaint and the conduct of the members of the ethnic committee.

No one has any objection to Mahua Moitra asking questions in Parliament. The public has elected her only to ask questions in Parliament, but if an MP forgets the problems of the area and becomes the spokesperson of an industrialist, then there is a problem. Right now, the questions asked by Moitra in Parliament have to be investigated. The decision will take time but where is the problem of the region in the list of questions asked by her?

At the same time, the chairperson of the investigating committee going to the media, and the affidavits finding its way to the press; are no lesser judgement errors. Will, it make the committee also answer few questions? Why not, its no lesser crime !