Mahua Moitra responds to Hiranandani's affidavit in 'cash for query' controversy with claims of coercion

Cash for Query: Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the 'cash for query' allegations, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has issued a detailed response to businessman Darshan Hiranandani's recently signed affidavit. In his affidavit, Hiranandani admitted to using Moitra's Parliamentary login to pose questions targeting Gautam Adani.

Moitra expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of the document due to its lack of official letterhead and notarization. She questioned why a prominent businessman like Darshan Hiranandani would sign such a critical statement on plain white paper unless he was subjected to external pressure. In her statement, Moitra raised concerns, stating, "The affidavit is on white paper and not on official letterhead or notarized. Why would one of India's most respected and educated businessmen sign a letter like this on white paper unless a gun was put to his head to do it?"

Moitra went on to characterize the content of the affidavit as a "joke" and claimed that it appeared to be drafted by someone in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) who also served as a creative writer in the BJP's IT cell. The document contained effusive praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gautam Adani while implicating various political opponents and investigative journalists in her alleged corruption. Moitra pointed out the connections between Adani's associate Cyril Shroff and the SEBI committee, along with the relentless targeting of politicians Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor and investigative journalist Sucheta Dalal.

The TMC MP suggested that the leaked affidavit is part of a broader strategy by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to discredit her and divert attention from pressing concerns related to the Adani Group. She alleged that the government is attempting to intimidate those close to her, including threats of investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Moitra further claimed that the PMO had exerted pressure on Darshan Hiranandani and his father to sign the letter, giving them a mere 20 minutes to do so. She highlighted the business dependence of the Hiranandani family on government licenses and investments in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, indicating that they were threatened with a shutdown of their businesses if they did not comply. Moitra asserted, "The draft of this letter was sent by the PMO, and he was forced to sign it. And it was leaked to the press immediately. This is in return for the government not doing a CBI investigation or not aggressively attacking their businesses."

While expressing sympathy for Hiranandani's predicament, Moitra noted the immense stakes involved for him, including the fate of the family businesses built over decades and the livelihoods of thousands of employees. She concluded by stating, "Though tragic, it is totally understandable that Darshan (who is a dear friend) would need to think of what is at stake for him here."

In his affidavit, Darshan Hiranandani, the CEO of the Hiranandani Group, disclosed that he had provided Moitra with information to frame questions targeting the Adani Group. He also mentioned gifting her "expensive luxury items," supporting the renovation of her official bungalow, and her sharing her Parliament login and password to post questions on her behalf. Hiranandani argued that Moitra's actions aimed to malign and embarrass Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, in his view, had an impeccable reputation that left no room for the opposition to attack him.

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- With inputs from agencies

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