Nishikant Dubey challenges Mahua Moitra to prove her innocence

In a sharp response to Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's questioning of his educational credentials, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey emphasised that the primary concern isn't his academic qualifications or the Adani Group. Instead, he raised the question of whether Moitra's parliamentary inquiries were motivated by financial interests.

New Delhi:In a pointed retort to Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's inquiry about his degree, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey asserted today that the central issue at hand is not his educational qualifications or the Adani Group, but rather whether Moitra has raised parliamentary queries for financial gain.

“The question is about the dignity of Parliament, security of India and the proprietary, corruption and criminality of the alleged MP. The answer has to be given whether NIC mail is open in Dubai or not? Ask questions in exchange for money or not? Who bore the expenses of traveling abroad? Have you ever taken permission from @loksabhaspeaker and @MEAIndia to go abroad or not? The question is not about Adani, degree or theft, but about your corruption by misleading the country,” Dubey wrote on his X (formerly twitter) handle in Hindi.

This saga began when Mahua Moitra levelled allegations against Nishikant Dubey, suggesting that he holds fake degrees. Dubey swiftly denied the claims and fired back with accusations of his own. He shifted the focus from degrees to issues of parliamentary decorum, national security, and an MP's propriety, corruption, and criminality.

Dubey insisted that Moitra must respond to critical questions regarding the alleged access of National Informatics Centre (NIC) mails in Dubai, whether parliamentary questions were asked in exchange for money, and who financed her trips abroad. Moreover, he called on Moitra to clarify whether she obtained the necessary permissions from the Lok Sabha Speaker and the External Affairs Ministry for her foreign travels.

Dubey further emphasised that the primary concern should revolve around "misleading the country and corruption," as he employed hashtags like "degree wali desh beche" (degree holder sells the country) and "chand paise ke le jamir beche" (she sold her conscience for money) to underscore his point.

Moitra, however, did not back down from her initial allegations. She specifically accused Dubey of holding fake degrees and insinuated that this was indicative of a broader issue within the political landscape. The Trinamool Congress MP also found herself in hot water as she faced allegations of receiving a substantial sum of Rs 2 crore in cash from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for asking questions in Parliament.

Nishikant Dubey did not hesitate to escalate the situation, taking his concerns to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. He urged Birla to initiate an investigation into the allegations against Moitra, alleging that she had accepted bribes from the businessman and shared her parliamentary login credentials. Moitra vehemently denied these allegations, categorically dismissing them.

Furthermore, Dubey called for a Lokpal probe against Moitra, asserting that he had in his possession a letter from Supreme Court Lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai containing "disturbing facts with detailed proof." The letter reportedly outlined the specifics of how, when, and where Moitra allegedly received bribes from Darshan Hiranandani. This formal complaint was also forwarded to the Lok Sabha ethics panel.

The businessman at the centre of these allegations, Darshan Hiranandani, submitted an affidavit claiming that Moitra had frequently solicited favours from him, including expensive luxury items. He further alleged that the MP had given him access to her parliamentary login credentials and suggested that her attacks on the Adani Group were driven by a desire for notoriety.

In response to these claims, Moitra contended that an MP's login credentials are often used by multiple individuals, including assistants and interns. She boldly challenged the government to publicly release the login data of all MPs to prove her point.

Amidst this political turmoil, questions have arisen about the actions of the Trinamool leadership. Some are puzzled as to why Mahua Moitra has not been removed from her position yet, given the gravity of the allegations. In response, the Mamata Banerjee-led party has stated that it will take appropriate action after the Lok Sabha panel conducts its investigation.