"Mahua Moitra being targeted," Congress MP Uttam Reddy on 'cash for query' row

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Congress MP Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday dismissed the allegations against TMC MP Mahua Moitra made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey saying that the latter is trying 'to present a misleading narrative to the public' over 'cash for query row' and said that the TMC MP is being 'targeted'. Congress MP Uttam Kumar Reddy, who was among opposition MPs who staged a walkout from the Ethics Committee meeting on Thursday, countered BJP members and said he had "not heard any unparliamentary language" from Mahua Moitra.

"I have not heard any unparliamentary language from Mahua Moitra. Whatever Nishiknath Dubey has said is completely wrong. Probably BJP is using him as a point man to target Mahua. Mahua pointed out that he has been quoting false educational qualifications in his nomination papers and otherwise too. So Nishikant Dubey's statement on her, you can't take it for granted because they have in the past made complaints against each other. So he may be targeting her. It's totally a false issue," Reddy told ANI.

This comes after Lok Sabha Ethics Committee Chairperson Vinod Sonkar said that "unparliamentary language" was used by TMC MP against him and other members during cross-examination following her deposition before the panel over "cash-for-query" allegations levelled against her by BJP MP Dubey. The Congress leader accused the BJP of trying to target Moitra as she is continuously exposing Adani.

"The BJP bigwigs and the top guys in the government must be targeting her (Mahua Moitra) because she is continuously exposing Adani. We feel it's not a good thing in parliamentary democracy to target an MP that to a very talented woman MP, a very good speaker, just because she opposes you on some issues," Reddy said.

"So we have been raising our stand both inside and outside the Parliament Ethics Committee and all of us opposition MPs felt that in the cross-examination there was persistent objectionable, undignified questioning. So Mahua Moitra and the five opposition MPs decided that it was not fair and we walked out of the meeting," he added.

Moitra appeared before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee over cash-for-query allegations against her on Thursday. She and opposition members of the panel "walked out" of the meeting on Thursday afternoon. Opposition members raised questions over the line of questioning and alleged that "personal questions" were posed to the Trinamool Congress MP.

Among those who walked out were BSP MP Danish Ali, Janata Dal (United) MP Giridhari Yadav and Congress MP Uttam Kumar Reddy. Sonkar rejected the allegations of opposition members. "Instead of giving answers, she (Mahua Moitra) got angry and used unparliamentary language for the Chairperson, and Committee members. Danish Ali, Girdhari Yadav and other opposition MPs tried to accuse the committee and walked out. The committee will sit and discuss," he said.

Meanwhile, while talking to the media at his residence after Mahua Moitra and opposition members of the ethics panel "walked out" of the meeting on Thursday afternoon objecting to some of the questions raised, Dubey said it is "the darkest day of parliamentary history". "No power in the world can save Mahua Moitra. As a parliamentarian, we are sad that we are part of a Parliament where people take money to ask questions," he alleged.

Moitra is facing 'Cash for Query' charges made by Dubey, who alleged that the Trinamool MP had taken bribes from Dubai-based businessman Hiranandani to raise questions in Parliament to target the Adani Group.

Dubey had written a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla last month titled "Re-emergence of nasty 'Cash for Query' in Parliament", seeking a probe into his allegations. He also claimed that Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai had provided him with proof of alleged bribes. Both Dubey and Jai Dehadrai have appeared before the Ethics Committee.

On Wednesday, Moitra made public her letter to the Ethics Committee chairman. Posting a two-page letter on her X handle, Moitra said, "Since the Ethics Committee deemed it fit to release my summons to the media I think it is important I too release my letter to the Committee before my hearing.

In her letter, Moitra alleged that advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai "had provided no documentary evidence to back his allegations in either his written complaint and neither could he provide any evidence in his oral hearing." "In keeping with the principles of natural justice I wish to exercise my right to cross-examine Dehadrai," she wrote in her letter to the Committee."

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