Mahua Moitra questions Ethics committee chairman’s media interaction

Kolkata: Mahua Moitra, the Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member from the Krishnanagar constituency in West Bengal’s Nadia district, on Friday questioned the chairman of the Ethics Committee of Parliament over the media interaction.

She also questioned how the affidavit by Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani reached different media houses.

Demanding an enquiry on how the affidavit was leaked, Moitra claimed that that “BJP’s single- point agenda was to silence her voice in the Lok Sabha against Adani Group”.

“Chairman Ethics Committee openly speaks to media. Please see Lok Sabha rules below. How does “affidavit” find its way to media? Chairman should first do enquiry into how this was leaked. I repeat – BJP 1 point agenda is to expel me from LS to shut me up on Adani,” a message on the wall of her official X handle read.

She has also attached with her message some details on “Evidence report and proceedings treated as confidential”, as per the Ethics Committee rules.

Earlier in the day, she had alleged that the Prime Minister’s Office “held a proverbial gun” to businessman Darshan Hiranandani’s head and made him sign the white paper that was later “leaked to the press”.

“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? The affidavit is on white paper and not on official letterhead or notarised. Why would one of India’s most respected or educated businessman sign a letter like this on white paper unless a gun was put to his head to do it?” said Moitra in a statement earlier.