New Delhi: The already contentious Mahua Moitra-Darshan Hiranandani affidavit controversy reached new heights on a Saturday, with heated exchanges between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament, Mahua Moitra. As allegations and counter-allegations flew back and forth, the issue took a disturbing twist with claims of national security being compromised and political manipulation.
Accusations were initially lobbed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who had previously filed a complaint against. Moitra with the Lok Sabha Speaker, alleging that she had accepted bribes in exchange for posing questions in Parliament. Dubey asserted that her parliamentary ID had been used in Dubai while she was physically present in India, suggesting that she had put the country's security at risk.
In a post on social media, Dubey stated, "An MP mortgaged the country's security for some money. The parliament ID was opened in Dubai when the so-called MP was in India. The entire Indian government, the Prime Minister of the country, the finance department, and the central agencies are on this NIC." He called for a public release of information from the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to verify his claims.
“Still? @AITCofficial and the opposition has to do politics, the decision is of the public, NIC gave this information to the investigating agency,” Dubey wrote.
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कुछ पैसे के लिए एक सांसद ने देश की सुरक्षा को गिरवी रखा ।दुबई से संसद के id खोले गए,उस वक़्त कथित सांसद भारत में ही थे।इस NIC पर पूरी भारत सरकार है,देश के प्रधानमंत्री जी,वित्त विभाग,केन्द्रीय एजेंसी ।क्या अब भी @AITCofficial व विपक्षियों को राजनीति करना है,निर्णय जनता का ,NIC ने…
— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) October 21, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">कुछ पैसे के लिए एक सांसद ने देश की सुरक्षा को गिरवी रखा ।दुबई से संसद के id खोले गए,उस वक़्त कथित सांसद भारत में ही थे।इस NIC पर पूरी भारत सरकार है,देश के प्रधानमंत्री जी,वित्त विभाग,केन्द्रीय एजेंसी ।क्या अब भी @AITCofficial व विपक्षियों को राजनीति करना है,निर्णय जनता का ,NIC ने…
— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) October 21, 2023कुछ पैसे के लिए एक सांसद ने देश की सुरक्षा को गिरवी रखा ।दुबई से संसद के id खोले गए,उस वक़्त कथित सांसद भारत में ही थे।इस NIC पर पूरी भारत सरकार है,देश के प्रधानमंत्री जी,वित्त विभाग,केन्द्रीय एजेंसी ।क्या अब भी @AITCofficial व विपक्षियों को राजनीति करना है,निर्णय जनता का ,NIC ने…
— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) October 21, 2023
In response to Dubey's allegations, Moitra challenged the NIC to release the details publicly, urging them to demonstrate that MPs were physically present in the locations where their parliamentary IDs were accessed by their assistants, researchers, interns, and staff members. She staunchly denied the accusations of compromising national security and challenged the credibility of the information.
Also read: Delhi HC to take up Mahua Moitra's defamation plea over 'cash-for-query' on October 31
The controversy took another twist with the submission of an affidavit by businessman Darshan Hiranandani. In his affidavit, Hiranandani claimed that Moitra had provided her parliamentary login ID to him, allowing him to draft questions targeting the Adani group. According to Hiranandani, Moitra believed this was the most effective way to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi and quickly gain national recognition.
Hiranandani's affidavit went further, alleging that Moitra had made repeated demands, including requests for expensive luxury items, support for renovating her official bungalow in Delhi and covering travel expenses and holidays. Moitra categorically denied these allegations, maintaining her innocence and asserting her willingness to answer questions posed by the Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee, which is investigating Dubey's complaint.
This escalating controversy has not only pitted Moitra and Dubey against each other but has also raised questions about the security of parliamentary IDs and their usage. As the accusations and counter-accusations continue to swirl, the demand for transparency and accountability in the political sphere becomes ever more pressing. The nation watches closely as this drama unfolds in the corridors of power.
