TMC Gives New Role To Mahua Moitra Amid Ethics Panel Probe

• Image Credit: Google

• Nov 13, 2023 | Dhupali Das

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has been appointed as the district chief of Krishnanagar (Nadia North)...

Digital Desk: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has been appointed as the district chief of Krishnanagar (Nadia North), a region falling under her Lok Sabha constituency. The announcement came amidst a significant controversy surrounding Moitra in the cash-for-query case. The decision was made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who leads the Trinamool Congress.

Expressing her gratitude, Moitra took to X to thank Mamata Banerjee for entrusting her with the responsibility. In her post, she wrote, "Thank you, Mamata Banerjee and AITC (All India Trinamool Congress) for appointing me district president of Krishnanagar (Nadia North). Will always work with the party for the people of Krishnanagar."

Moitra is among 15 other newly appointed district chiefs announced by the ruling party in Bengal on the same day.

The Trinamool Congress had been closely monitoring the developments in the cash-for-query case against Moitra, refraining from making public statements in her defense. Despite the controversy, the party's decision to assign her a crucial role within her own constituency signifies the party's acknowledgment of her importance as a leader.

The Lok Sabha ethics committee, investigating the cash-for-query case, recommended Moitra's suspension from parliament, labeling her actions as "highly objectionable, unethical, heinous, and criminal." The committee asserted that Moitra shared her user ID with unauthorized individuals, accepted cash and amenities from businessman Darshan Hiranandani, and called for a thorough investigation into the matter.

In response to the committee's findings, Moitra and opposition MPs walked out of the closed-door meeting, questioning the manner of the interrogation. The committee urged for a "legal, intensive, institutional, and time-bound investigation" into the entire issue.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who initially brought the matter to the Lok Sabha Speaker's attention, disclosed that the Lokpal had ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the corruption allegations against Moitra. Dubey alleged that Moitra accepted cash to pose questions in parliament targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Adani Group. He also claimed that sharing her parliamentary login compromised national security.

Moitra admitted to sharing her login but argued that there were no regulations governing such actions. Prior to her Ethics Committee hearing, she questioned the lack of rules governing MPs in a letter to the committee.

The appointment of Moitra as the district chief, despite the ongoing controversy, adds a new layer to the unfolding drama in West Bengal politics, leaving many to speculate about the political implications and the future trajectory of Moitra's career within the Trinamool Congress.