BHUBANESWAR: The state BJP on Friday targeted BJD MP from Puri Pinaki Mishra after his name surfaced in the ‘cash-for-query’ controversy involving Trinamool Congress member Mohua Moitra. Addressing mediapersons, BJP spokesperson Manoj Mohapatra said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik should order a probe by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch to bring out the truth.
Mohapatra questioned the ‘close relation’ between the two MPs as mentioned in the affidavit submitted before the ethics committee of Parliament by businessman Darshan Hiranandani. The BJP leader asked whether Mishra’s activities were anti-people and demanded the chief minister to expel him from BJD.
While Mishra and BJD are yet to react to the controversy, several senior BJP leaders have expressed concern over the re-emergence of the ‘cash-for-query’ issue. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said there is no place for bribery in the parliamentary process and the ethics committee is doing its work. “Let everything come before the committee. It will do its work and everything will be clear,” he said.
BJP national VP Baijayant Panda said the details businessman Hiranandani has disclosed in his sworn affidavit are deeply disturbing. Besides, gross violations of parliamentary ethics and rules, there are explicit references to corruption, security breaches and conspiracy.