"Sold Conscience For Money": BJP MP's Retort To Mahua Moitra's Degree Jab

In a sharp response to Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's degree jab at him, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey today said the key question now is not his degree or the Adani Group, but whether Ms Moitra had asked questions in Parliament for money.

"The question in about Parliament's decorum, national security and about the MP's propriety, corruption and criminality. She has to answer if NIC mails were accessed in Dubai, whether questions were asked for money and who covered expenses for trips abroad. She has to answer if she took the permission of the Lok Sabha Speaker and External Affairs Ministry for her trips," he posted on X this morning.

"The question is not about Adani, degree or theft. It is about misleading the country and corruption," Mr Dubey said, adding hashtags of "degree wali desh beche" - meaning degree holder sells the country - and "chand paise ke le jamir beche" (she sold her conscience for money).

Mr Dubey's retort came after Ms Moitra took a jab at the Godda MP, doubling down on her charge that he holds fake degrees. Earlier, the BJP MP has dismissed the allegations.

Ms Moitra has been accused of receiving Rs 2 crore in cash from businessman Darshan Hiranandani for asking questions in parliament. BJP MP Dubey has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking an investigation into allegations that Ms Moitra received bribes from the businessman and also shared her parliament login credentials. The Trinamool MP has trashed the allegations.

Mr Dubey has also sought a Lokpal probe against the Trinamool MP. He has said he is in possession of a letter by Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai detailing "disturbing facts with detailed proof". "In the letter, Mr Dehadrai provides in great detail how, when and where Ms Moitra received bribes from a businessman Sh Darshan Hiranandani," the BJP MP's complaint said. The complaint has been sent to the Lok Sabha ethics panel too.

Darshan Hiranandani has claimed in an affidavit that Ms Moitra frequently asked him for various favours, including expensive luxury items. The businessman also alleged that the MP had given him her parliament login credentials and that she saw attacking the Adani Group as a way to become famous.

Ms Moitra has said an MP's login credentials are used by several people, including assistants and interns, and dared the government to publicise login data of all MPs.

While the BJP has questioned why the Trinamool leadership has not sacked Ms Moitra yet, the Mamata Banerjee-led party has said the party leadership will take appropriate action after the Lok Sabha panel's investigation.