Panel: Query on Dubai hotel triggered TMC MP Mahua Moitra's outburst
Shubhadeep Choudhury
New Delhi, December 8
The Lok Sabha Ethics Panel’s question to Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra regarding the number of times she visited Dubai in the past four years and the hotel she stayed in triggered off an outburst by Moitra, who accused the chairman of asking her “personal and unethical” questions.
The panel report tabled in the Lok Sabha today also accused BSP MP Danish Ali, a panel member, of misrepresenting the question outside and giving the impression it was akin to asking “with whom Moitra slept during her stay in Dubai”.
The report said Moitra, while giving oral evidence, was asked on how many occasions she visited Dubai between January 1, 2019, and September 30, 2023, and in which hotel she stayed. The chairperson gave her the choice of either responding to the queries or saying “no comments”.
Moitra refused to respond, and instead insinuated and accused chairman Vinod Sonkar of asking “personal and unethical questions” and called him “besharm” (shameless) and “behuda” (ridiculous). The report said soon thereafter, Moitra and Ali appeared before the media and divulged the committee proceedings.
“During this unsavoury incident, Ali also not only participated in divulging the proceedings of the committee but also dishonestly twisted the clarification sought by the committee from Moitra,” the report said.