"Went Beyond Limits Of Decency": Panel Member Hits Back At Mahua Moitra

Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra went beyond all limits of decency during her hearing before the Parliamentary Ethics Committee in the cash-for-questions case, said BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi today.

Ms Moitra, who has admitted giving access to her account on the parliament's website to businessman Darshan Hiranandani, yesterday stormed out of the hearing, alleging she was subjected to humiliating personal questions.

Ms Sarangi, a member of the committee who was present during Ms Moitra's cross-examination, today hit back at the Trinamool leader after she charged that the Ethics Committee had "no ethics or morality left".

"She went beyond all limits of decency. We had invited Mahua Moitra and she was supposed to answer our questions. The chairman limited his questions to the affidavit submitted by Darshan Hiranandani. So, there was no question of going beyond the limits or rather the contents of the affidavit," Ms Sarangi told news agency ANI.

Ms Moitra kept speaking about her personal life that one was interested in, she claimed, accusing the Trinamool MP of trying to create a fake narrative.

"When certain questions over the contents of the affidavit were posed by the chairman, she lost her cool and used all kinds of filthy language against the chairman and other members of the panel," said Ms Sarangi.

"She was very arrogant in her demeanour. She was very rude. She has been trying to create a fake narrative and mislead the people of the country by playing victim card," added the BJP MP.

Ms Moitra yesterday walked out of the Ethics Committee hearing along with other Opposition members, alleging humiliation by the panel.

She also shot a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, describing the episode as "proverbial vastraharan (stripping)", referring to the chapter in Mahabharat, where Pandav queen Draupadi was humiliated by the Kuru clan in open court.

Ethics panel chief BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar focussed on Ms Moitra's personal relationship with Darshan Hiranandani, Opposition MPs who walked out of the hearing with Ms Moitra, told the media.

The committee, however, shot back saying she did not cooperate and left in order to avoid answering more questions.

"Mahua Moitra did not cooperate with the committee and the investigation. The Opposition members also made allegations in anger and suddenly walked out of the meeting to avoid answering more questions," Mr Sonkar said, claiming that "objectionable words" were used against the panel's functioning and him.