Mahua Moitra attacks BJP: 'Have record of ethics panel chief's cheap questions'

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra today lashed out at the BJP over the hearing of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on the 'cash-for-query' charges, after accusing the panel of asking her humiliating questions. 

Moitra asserted she had an "exact transcript" of what she described as the chairman's "cheap" and "irrelevant" questions.

"Also BJP -- before you push out women MPs with fake narrative, remember I have the exact transcript of record in Ethics Committee verbatim. Chairman’s cheap sordid irrelevant questions, Opposition’s protests, my protests -- all there in official black and white," the fiery TMC lawmaker wrote on X, adding, "Besharam (shameless) and Behuda (senseless)."

She said she came to know that the BJP was planning to file criminal cases against her and took a dig at the party over the Adani issue.

"Shaking in my skin to know BJP is planning criminal cases against me. Welcome them -- only know that CBI and ED need to file FIR against Adani for Rs 13,000 crore coal scam before they question how many pairs of shoes I have," Moitra said in another tweet.

Earlier on Thursday, Opposition members walked out of the ethics panel meeting along with Moitra as they accused its chairman, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, a BJP MP, of asking her "indecent personal" questions. Sonkar said the charges were motivated to shield Moitra from queries about her alleged "unethical conduct".

Moitra, who pleaded innocence to bribery allegations, termed Sonkar's questions to her "filthy" following the walkout. Sonkar defended the queries, saying they were related to businessman Darshan Hiranandani's affidavit in which he admitted to giving her bribes and using her parliamentary login ID to ask questions on her behalf.

She wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging that she was subjected to the "proverbial vastraharan (disrobing)" by the chairperson of the committee.

Last month, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging that Moitra accepted bribes in exchange for asking questions in Parliament.

Dubey cited documents shared by Supreme Court attorney Jai Anant Dehadrai, who was called a "jilted ex" by Moitra. The TMC MP has vehemently denied the allegations.

Subsequently, the Speaker forwarded the issue to the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee. Last month, Dehadrai and Dubey had recorded their statements before the panel.