Lok Sabha Ethics Committee receives affidavit from Darshan Hiranandani against Mahua Moitra
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha ethics committee announced today that it has received an affidavit from industrialist Darshan Hiranandani, accusing Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra of accepting bribes to ask questions in Parliament. The committee confirmed its intention to conduct a thorough investigation into these allegations.
In his affidavit, Hiranandani alleged that Moitra frequently demanded favors from him, including expensive luxury items, and provided him with her Parliament login credentials. He also claimed that she viewed attacking the Adani Group as a means to gain fame.
The accusations were brought to light by BJP's Nishikant Dubey, who accused the Trinamool leader of breaching parliamentary privilege, contempt of the House, and criminal conspiracy, during a session presided over by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Vinod Sonkar, the head of the ethics committee, confirmed in an exclusive statement to NDTV, "We have received Darshan Hiranandani's affidavit. The committee will hear Mr. Dubey's complaint on October 26. He has been asked to present evidence in front of the committee."
Describing the allegations as extremely grave, Sonkar stated that the committee would thoroughly examine Dubey's letter and Hiranandani's affidavit. The committee also plans to hear Moitra's version, who has vehemently denied the charges and expressed her readiness for any inquiry.
"The allegations are very serious. The case has gone beyond the prima facie evidence which is why we are examining it," Sonkar emphasized.
In response to the accusations, Moitra, the Lok Sabha MP representing Krishnanagar in West Bengal, has sought a permanent injunction against Dubey, Dehadrai, social media platform X, search engine Google, and YouTube. She aims to restrain them from making, publishing, and circulating defamatory, false, and malicious statements against her.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismisses defence minister in surprise announcement
Jerusalem, Nov 5: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday dismissed his popular defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in a surprise announcement that came as the country is embroiled in wars on multiple fronts across the region.
Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds over the war in Gaza. But Netanyahu had avoided firing his rival. Netanyahu cited “significant gaps” and a “crisis of trust” between the men in his Tuesday evening announcement.
“In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defence minister,” Netanyahu said. “Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister.”
In the early days of the war, Israel's leadership presented a unified front as it responded to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. But as the war dragged on and spread to Lebanon, key policy differences have emerged. While Netanyahu has called for continued military pressure on Hamas, Gallant had taken a more pragmatic approach, saying that military force has created the necessary conditions for a diplomatic deal that could bring home hostages held by the Hamas group.
Gallant, a former general who has gained public respect with a gruff, no-nonsense personality, said in a statement: “The security of the state of Israel always was, and will always remain, my life's mission."
Gallant has worn a simple, black buttoned shirt throughout the war in a sign of sorrow over the October 7 attack and developed a strong relationship with his US counterpart, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
A previous attempt by Netanyahu to fire Gallant in March 2023 sparked widespread street protests against Netanyahu. He also flirted with the idea of dismissing Gallant over the summer but held off until Tuesday's announcement.
Gallant will be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister who was a junior officer in the military. Gideon Saar, a former Netanyahu rival who recently rejoined the government, will take the foreign affairs post.
Netanyahu has a long history of neutralising his rivals. In his statement, he claimed he had made “many attempts” to bridge the gaps with Gallant.
“But they kept getting wider. They also came to the knowledge of the public in an unacceptable way, and worse than that, they came to the knowledge of the enemy - our enemies enjoyed it and derived a lot of benefit from it,” he said.
