New Delhi, 17-10-2023 : Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, has taken a significant step by referring a complaint made by BJP Member of Parliament, Nishikant Dubey, regarding a “bribe-for-query” allegation against Trinamool Congress member Mahua Moitra to the Ethics Committee of the lower House. This move follows Dubey’s serious accusation that Mahua Moitra accepted “bribes” from a businessman in exchange for posing questions in Parliament. He additionally urged Speaker Birla to establish an “inquiry committee” to thoroughly investigate the charges leveled against Moitra.
In response to these allegations, Mahua Moitra has swiftly retaliated, asserting her willingness to face any action taken against her, once the Lok Sabha Speaker concludes dealing with pending charges against Nishikant Dubey.
The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha, entrusted with examining matters related to the ethical conduct of members, is headed by BJP representative Vinod Kumar Sonkar.
Nishikant Dubey, in a letter addressed to Speaker Birla under the subject “Re-emergence of nasty ‘Cash for Query’ in Parliament, Direct involvement of Smt. Mahua Moitra, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) for serious ‘Breach of Privilege,’ ‘Contempt of the House,’ and a ‘Criminal Offense’ under Section 120-A of IPC,” cited correspondence he received from an advocate. According to Dubey, this legal professional has provided “incontrovertible” evidence of monetary transactions between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and a prominent businessman.
Highlighting the nature of the allegations, Dubey’s letter to the Speaker disclosed that 50 out of 61 questions posed by Mahua Moitra in the Lok Sabha recently had a singular focus on the Adani Group, a prominent business conglomerate. The TMC MP has frequently accused the Adani Group of various malpractices, particularly after it faced a scathing report on short-selling from Hindenburg.
This development underscores the seriousness of the allegations, and the Ethics Committee’s inquiry is expected to shed light on the veracity of the “bribe-for-query” accusations and ensure that parliamentary proceedings adhere to the highest standards of integrity.