Mahua Moitra said this is part of the “establishment’s witch hunt”. (FILE)
New Delhi:
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, in a two-page statement and five questions, shredded the affidavit of businessman Darshan Hiranandani, alleging that the Prime Minister’s Office “held a proverbial gun” to his head and made him sign the white paper that was later “leaked to the press”.
“Darshan Hiranandani has not been summoned by the CBI or the Ethics Committee or indeed by any investigative agency yet. Who then has he given this affidavit to,” she said in the statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Questioning if it was indeed an affidavit from the businessman, Ms Moitra pointed out that it was neither on a official letterhead or notarized. It was not posted on social media by him but was “leaked selectively to the media,” she said in the statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Calling it a “selective leak of a plea bargain”, Ms Moitra said this is part of the establishment’s witch hunt into every political leader who dares question Adani”.
Mr Hiranandani’s affidavit claimed Ms Moitra had asked for help to politically target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and use the Adani group for a smear campaign against him. He claimed she has also given him her parliament login ID to frame questions on the Adani Group.
Mahua Moitra thought the “only way” to attack PM Modi was by attacking Gautam Adani, and so she “expected support”, the affidavit read. For this, she shared her parliament login ID so he could frame the questions, Mr Hiranandani said. He went along with the idea because he thought through her, he would get support in the Opposition-ruled states, he wrote.
He also claimed the Trinamool MP received support from others in this effort, including journalists, Opposition leaders and former Adani Group employees, who fed her unverified information. In this context, he had named several people including journalist Sucheta Dalal, who has denied the allegations.
Last week, the BJP’s Nishikant Dubey, in a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, demanded immediate suspension of Ms Moitra, alleging that she “took bribes to ask questions” in parliament from Darshan Hiranandani to target his business rival, the Adani group, and PM Modi.
Accusing Ms Moitra of breach of parliamentary privilege, contempt of House and criminal conspiracy, he sought her immediate suspension from parliament.
The Hiranandani Group had lost energy and infra contract to the Adani Group and Ms Moitra’s questions were directed at perpetuating the business interests of the former, Mr Dubey alleged in his letter to Mr Birla.
His complaint has been referred by the Speaker to Parliament’s Ethics Committee.
Ms Moitra had denied the allegations, saying she welcomes any kind of inquiry.
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