Round
The States
New Delhi, 21 October 2023
‘Cash For Query’ Scam
TMC MP DEFIANT, PARTY SILENT
By Insaf
Will West Bengal’s TMC’s firebrand MP Mahua Moitra
weather the political storm in the ‘cash for query’ scandal involving her?
Accusations by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey will be heard by Lok Sabha Ethics
Committee on October 26, along with advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai during their
‘oral evidence’. Dubey alleged Moitra and Hiranandani group planned to
specifically target Gautam Adani through series of parliamentary questions; he
has ‘irrefutable evidence’ given by Dehadrai. He also wrote to IT Minister
Vaishnaw, seeking probe into IP addresses of her log-in credentials for the
House. Hiranandani Group promptly denied allegations of bribing Moitra, but on
Thursday last in a signed affidavit CEO Darshan Hiranandani admitted she gave
him her “parliament login and password so he could post questions directly on
her behalf when required’! Moitra, he said realised that the only way to attack
Prime Minister Modi was by attacking Adani. Besides, Moitra made frequent
demands, such as “expensive luxury items, support on renovation of her
officially allotted Delhi bungalow, travel expenses, holidays, etc, apart from
providing secretarial and logistical help for her travels in India and
abroad.”
From day one, Moitra is in denial mode, but State
leadership is quiet. With Darshan’s affidavit (a setback), she issued a
statement alleging ‘it was drafted by some half-wit in PMO,’ and her ‘very dear
friend’ was “threatened with a total shutdown of all their businesses…They were
told they will be finished, CBI would raid them all and all PSU bank financing
would be stopped immediately.” This, she added, ‘is usual modus operandi of BJP
government or rather Adani’s government run by BJP’. Earlier, she petitioned
Delhi HC seeking to restrain Dubey, Dehadrai and many social media platforms
and media houses from posting, circulating or publishing any alleged fake and
defamatory content against her. Besides, she requested Vaishnaw to release
details of locations and log-in credentials of all MPs with Call Data Records
(CDRs). Amidst this high voltage drama, there’s stoic silence from TMC and
supremo Mamata Banerjee’s end. It’s said Moitra ‘should be left to clean the
mess she has created, if at all she has created it.’ All eyes will be on Ethics
Committee’s verdict: whether there’s breach of parliamentary privilege’,
violation of national security and she be suspended from the House? This for
Moitra won’t be ‘a joke!’
* * * *
Karnataka
Churning
Trouble brews in Janata Dal (Secular) amidst high
drama. On Thursday last, national President H D Deve Gowda sacked Karnataka
state President C M Ibrahim, dissolved the working committee and appointed son
and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy as ad hoc President. This after
Ibrahim on Monday last opposed the party’s decision to align with the BJP for
the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and instead voiced backing INDIA bloc as well as
announced forming a core committee to chart the party’s future. However, senior
Gowda asserted all party state units, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala and
Maharashtra, had consented to align with the BJP and that ‘Ibrahim has been
removed as per the party Constitution and other office-bearers shall be
appointed after another round of consultation. Ibrahim has threatened to take
legal action and even write to Election Commission as there’s no provision to
appoint an ad hoc president. Saying he will ‘remain with JD(S)’, Ibrahim
demanded the order be withdrawn as it showed JD(S) remained a “family party”;
he will travel across the state to “rally against dynastic politics” and
claimed ‘most of MLAs are with him’.
* * * *
MP Seat-Sharing Spat
Preparations for Madhya Pradesh poll expose chinks in INDIA
bloc unity. With Congress naming its candidate for Bijawar in its first list of
44 candidates, SP is livid as the seat was won by its candidate in 2018 polls. Akhilesh
Yadav is thus livid with Congress for not conceding a single seat so far in the
State. On Thursday last, he warned the grand old party of getting similar treatment
in biggest state, Uttar Pradesh and seat-sharing formula won’t be applied for 2024.
Said he, “We wouldn’t have gone to Congress meetings or given them a list of
seats we want to contest, nor would we have taken their calls.” Adding Congress
UP President Rai, a ‘chirkut’ and its leaders were in cahoots with
BJP. Rai reacted: If you want to defeat BJP, then support Congress in MP, just as
we supported SP in Ghosi by-poll.’ Not simple. SP has declared candidates on 33
seats already. With Akhilesh saying ‘what’s wrong? Congress went back on its
word of leaving six constituencies for SP nominees in a seat-sharing agreement!’
He must and in fact all others must remember tit-for-tat is poor rather
defeating strategy.
* * * *
AAP’s
Joy & Fear
There’s both good and bad news for Delhi’s AAP. On Tuesday last, its MP, Raghav Chadha got
relief from Delhi High Court, as it said he could continue staying in his
government bungalow, setting aside an order by Patiala House Court. Chadha had
challenged a trial court order that lifted an interim order, which allowed
Rajya Sabha secretariat to start eviction proceedings, following his
suspension, which he claimed was ‘selective targeting’ as he was a vocal Opposition
MP. He can enjoy the house till the trial court decides his application. This
apart, Supreme Court has sought a response from RS secretariat on his petition
challenging his indefinite suspension from the Upper House. The bad news is
that CBI and ED have told the top court they are contemplating making AAP an
accused in the corruption and money laundering cases linked to Delhi’s scrapped
excise policy. This was made known while the bench was hearing bail pleas of
AAP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia, arrested in excise policy scam.
When the court sought clarification whether there will be separate charges
against AAP in cases being probed by CBI and ED, it was told that charges in
corruption and money laundering cases will be different but for same offence.
If this happens, then AAP may find itself in trouble with the EC, though rules
are vague. Guess, AAP will need to cross the bridge when it comes to it. Or
earlier?
* * * *
UP ‘Revenge Politics’
‘King Khan of Rampur’, senior SP leader Azam Khan being
put behind bars triggers oft-heard ‘anti-Muslim’ charge against the BJP. Wednesday
last, Khan, wife Tazeen Fatima and son Abdullah were sentenced by a special
court to 7 years’ jail in Abdullah’s 2019 fake birth certificate case. Four
years ago, a BJP MLA had filed an FIR alleging ‘Abdullah wasn’t eligible to contest
Assembly polls in 2017 as he was 24 years (birth certificate being 1 January
1993), and Khan ‘used his influence and got another certificate prepared in
which his age was changed to September 30,1990, making him eligible. He won
that election.” The party leadership wrote on X: ‘The public is watching and
understanding the game being played to scare an entire section of society by
targeting Khan ji and his family.” And said bluntly: “It’s a big conspiracy. Party
insiders in BJP say because he’s a Muslim, he’s facing such punishment…” “there’s
a difference between a decision and justice”, reacted Khan adding ‘since
yesterday the town knew the verdict.” Incidentally this is the 4th
case in past year that Khan has been convicted. In this case, he’s found guilty
under various IPC sections including cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.
Will he have influence to get himself and family out on bail, is a big
question? ---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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