New Delhi:
In his fresh attack on Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, BJP leader Nishikant Dubey has cited a Lok Sabha document stating that answers to questions asked by MPs should remain confidential until the question is actually answered in the House.
Using the Hindi idiom of ‘chori fir seenazori’ – meaning aggression by a wrongdoer – the BJP MP from Godda said answers to questions asked by MPs in Parliament could impact the industrial sector and could also have consequences for national security. A Lok Sabha order dated November 10, he pointed out in a message on X, underlines the need for confidentiality in such cases.
I think I can, I think I can I think I did a good job I think I did a good job I think it’s a good idea, if I understand it right, I think I can that’s possible, I think it’s a good idea, I think I can, I think… pic.twitter.com/1rsUkG0BMt
—Dr. Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) November 23, 2023
Ms Moitra is facing allegations of asking questions in Parliament in return for monetary benefits and gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani. The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee recently recommended her expulsion as an MP.
Earlier, BJP MP Dubey wrote to Speaker Om Birla, accusing Ms Moitra of taking bribes from Mr Hiranandani to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business rival Adani Group. The Trinamool MP is also accused of sharing her Parliament credentials with the businessman so that he could ask questions on her behalf. Ms Moitra has claimed that there are no regulations regarding sharing of login and password.
Mr Dubey shared photos of a Lok Sabha bulletin sharing information “relating to parliamentary and other matters”.
“Members are aware that in a new initiative, answers to starred questions will be uploaded to the member portal before 9:00 AM on the answer day. This initiative has been taken to facilitate members to formulate additional questions. Similarly, answers to unstarred questions uploaded on the Lok Sabha Homepage immediately after the Question Hour,” the document said.
“It may be noted that since the answers provided on the member portal are secured with login and password, they are intended for use by members only. Members are therefore requested to maintain the confidentiality of the answers and not share the contents with others until the Question Time is over,” it added.
In another section on the confidentiality clause, it was underlined that answers to oral questions are strictly confidential until the question has actually been answered in Parliament. “In the event that the question has not yet been answered orally, the answer to the question should not be released until the end of Question Time. Questions included in the lists of written answers should also be treated as confidential until they are answered table of the House after Question Hour is over,” the report said.
“The accused MP is probably not properly informed by a PA like Hiranandani,” the BJP said in a swipe at the Krishnanagar MP.
Mr Hiranandani has admitted using Ms Moitra’s login details, calling it a “crazy error of judgment and very regrettable”.