Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Oct 16: Taking a step forward on his allegations against the Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra for “cash for questions,” the BJP member Nishikant Dubey has demanded the Union Information Technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to conduct an investigation to check if her Lok Sabha account was accessed from any location where she was not present.
Mr Dubey’s letter to this effect tom Vaishnaw has come even as his minister of state Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Monday weighed in on the alleged “cash-for-questions” controversy citing a question she asked about reports of a government ban on 54 apps. In a post on X, Mahua Moitra declared that it was a valid question since she was a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Data protection.
“I have learnt from news reports that this Parliamentary Question was likely asked by a MP at the behest of a Data centre company. If true this is indeed shocking and shameful,” the minister posted on X pointing at questions to him from Hiranandani Group, on whose behalf Ms Moitra has been accused of asking parliamentary questions.
“It is true that this company was actively and aggressively lobbying for Data Localization. Language used in PQ is very similar (linking need for data localization to data breaches) to that used when the head of this company met me. I am not aware or privy to the full facts or background on this – but if it is true then it’s a terrible travesty and misuse of PQs,” Mr Chandrasekhar’s post read.
The Hiranandani Group has been trying to get the first mover advantage when it comes to data localization. Data localization is an essential part of the government’s flagship Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) scheme and a lot of care is being taken to prevent any monopoly in the area.
Sources said the Hiranandani Group has raised concerns about contracts from the IT ministry but the ministry has not complied with their requests. Days later, the question Ms Moitra asked was whether the government had indeed banned 54 apps and if so, their details. She also questioned whether app and data leakages of Indian citizens may happen from other countries too along with their details.
She also questioned whether would require data localization requirements for all sensitive personal data while the data protection act is under consideration and their details as well.
Mr Dubey had on Sunday written a letter to the Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla alleging that Ms Moitra “took bribes to ask questions” in parliament from Darshan Hiranandani to target the Adani group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded her immediate suspension for the violation of Parliamentary privileges, contempt of House and criminal conspiracy.
Ms Moitra, who said she welcomes any kind of inquiry, today posted a strong denial of the IT minister’s allegations as well. “Sir, am member of IT Comm & JPC on Data Protection. This is valid question for all Indians. If hostile nation can steal data from apps – can’t they steal India user data stored overseas? Don’t insult my intelligence by alleging I’m fronting others,” she posted on X.
In response to Mr Dubey’s letter to Mr Vaishnaw demanding inquiry into her LS account, Ms Moitra said parliamentary work of MPs was done by large teams and said the IT minister must release location and login details of all MPs. The Hiranandani Group has trashed the allegations, saying they have “no merit.”
In his letter to Mr Vaishnaw, Mr Dubey has said, “The claim that the Member of Parliament representing Krishnanagar gave Darshan Hiranandani and the Hiranandani Conglomerate access to her login credentials for the Lok Sabha website so that they could utilise it for their own personal gain is possibly the most damning and grave of all the charges that are being made against her,” he has said.
“If the claims made above are found to be accurate, this constitutes a serious criminal breach of trust as well as a violation of India’s national security because it would give unauthorised individuals access to government websites that may contain classified information,” the BJP MP from Jharkhand’s Godda has added.
The BJP MP urged Mr Vaishnaw, who is also the Railways Minister, to initiate a probe to check if there are instances in which Ms Moitra’s Lok Sabha account was accessed at a location where she was not present. “In addition, I request that you determine whether there are any instances in which her Lok Sabha account was accessed at a location in which she was not present,” he said.
“Any attempt by a Member of Parliament to compromise the sanctity of our democratic temple by accepting monetary or other types of remunerative benefits in exchange for asking questions the benefit of a business house ought to be thwarted as quickly as possible and an investigation must be carried out and completed as promptly,” Mr Dubey has said in his letter.
In response, Ms Moitra said parliamentary work of MPs was handled by large teams comprising assistants and interns. “All parliamentary work of MPs done by PAs, assistants, interns, large teams. Respected @ashwinivaishnaw please release details of location & login details of ALL MPs with CDRs. Please release info on training given to staff to login,” she posted on X.