Accusations against Mahua Moitra for Alleged Breach of Security Policies

In the midst of the ongoing ‘cash-for-query’ controversy, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra of breaching government security policies. According to Dubey, Moitra allegedly shared her parliamentary login details with businessman Darshan Hiranandani, which has raised serious concerns about the security of government websites and emails.

The ‘E-mail Policy of the Government of India,’ established in 2014, clearly states that users are held responsible for any data or email transmitted using the Government of India email system, emphasizing that the sharing of passwords is strictly prohibited. Hiranandani, in a signed affidavit, claimed that he gifted Moitra expensive luxury items, financed the renovation of her official bungalow, and posted questions on her behalf using her Parliament login and password.

Dubey’s complaint against Moitra is currently under investigation by the Lok Sabha’s Ethics Committee. He cited excerpts from the 2014 government policy to support his claims, highlighting the prohibition against sharing passwords. Dubey emphasized the seriousness of this breach, calling it a more significant issue than the ‘cash for questions’ scandal of 2005, and urged support in the interest of national security.

Government officials, speaking anonymously, emphasized that all MPs are provided official email accounts by the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha secretariat and are regularly advised against sharing their passwords. The government’s password policy emphasizes that users are responsible for all activity performed with their personal user IDs and explicitly prohibits sharing passwords, even with personal assistants or secretaries. These access codes are considered sensitive and confidential information.

Mahua Moitra is scheduled to appear before the Ethics Panel on November 2 and has requested the opportunity to cross-examine Hiranandani. She vehemently denies the allegations against her, rejecting the initial ‘Cash for Questions’ accusation for which no evidence was found and now faces claims related to ‘National Security.’

Re-reported from the article originally published in The Hindustan Times