'Vindictive': TMC, Congress Slam CBI Probe Into 'Cash For Query' Case. Here's What Mahua Moitra Said

The TMC and Congress slammed the CBI inquiry into allegations of "cash for query" against TMC MP Mahua Moitra as the ruling BJP-led Centre being "vindictive".

File Photo of Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra

Source : PTI

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Congress have strongly criticised the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over its preliminary enquiry into allegations of "bribe for query" against TMC MP Mahua Moitra. The CBI initiated the preliminary enquiry based on a complaint by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who alleged that Moitra took bribes to raise questions in Parliament, compromising national security, news agency PTI reported citing officials.

Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra took to X and posted, "Neither has Lok Pal uploaded any referral order on website as per Lokpal Act  & nor has CBI put out anything official. “Sources” telling journos as per usual media circus. Hope ₹13,000 crore Adani coal scam merits CBI PE before my witchhunt."

Her comment comes as an official communique from the CBI regarding the PE is awaited.

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh labeled the CBI probe a "total conspiracy of the BJP" and accused the party of misusing agencies like CBI and ED against TMC leaders.

Ghosh stated, "They are vindictive towards Bengal, Trinamool Congress, and TMC leaders. They are trying to harass the TMC by misusing the agencies. This case of Mahua Moitra is a part of the same script."

Congress leader Rashid Alvi condemned the CBI's inquiry, stating, "This is forceful. The CBI cannot enter the probe. This issue is related to the Parliament and only the Parliament can decide on this. On one end, you referred the matter to a committee which will send it to Parliament and Parliament will take a decision. The CBI has nothing to do with it. This is revengeful. All this is done to create problems for Mahua Moitra."

"Since the BJP has come to power, ED, CBI, and Income Tax have been working against the opposition. Did people hear the ED's name so much 10 years ago? The ED and CBI work like BJP wings such as Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal," he added, slamming the central investigative agencies.

Claiming that the central agencies are being "misused", TMC leader Shashi Panja claimed that the CBI inquiry "is a consorted effort and a witch-hunt to harass a TMC MP, TMC, and Bengal".

NCP (Sharad Pawar Faction) leader Anil Deshmukh also expressed support for MP Mahua Moitra saying, "The whole country is seeing the way in which the CBI and the ED are being misused. Whether it is Maharashtra, West Bengal, or Rajasthan, the leaders of any state where the BJP is not in power, are being targeted."

BSP MP Danish Ali contended that the TMC MP was "not heard" during the Ethics Committee hearing. "It is felt that the script is written by someone and it is being implemented... It appears that when a voice is raised against some particular individual all efforts will be made to silence that voice. But the country will not tolerate this," he remarked.

On the other hand, BJP Yuva Morcha National President and MP Tejasvi Surya told ANI, "Charges are very grave. The responsibility of a member of Parliament is to function as the voice of the people who have elected us to office, not to function as agents of certain corporate entities. The charges are very serious and I welcome the CBI inquiry into these charges. I hope that the law will take its course and the truth will be out very soon."

Moitra has denied any wrongdoing and claims she is being targeted for questioning deals involving the Adani group. 

Earlier the week, Mamata Banerjee, the TMC chief, broke her silence on the issue, stating that plans to expel Moitra from Parliament were underway but suggested it would only boost Moitra's popularity before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Banerjee commented, "Now, they are planning to expel Mahua (from Parliament). She will become more popular as a result. Whatever she used to say inside (Parliament), she will now say those things outside. Would anyone do something like this three months before the elections if he is not stupid?"

The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has recommended Moitra's expulsion, accusing her of accepting illegal gratifications to raise questions in Parliament. Moitra dismissed the decision as a "prefixed match by a kangaroo court" and deemed it a "death of parliamentary democracy."