"Issues of grave importance": Ashwini Vaishnaw writes to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on 'Cash for query' scandal

New Delhi [India], October 24 : Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday wrote a letter to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and said that the issues raised by the Lok Sabha parliamentarian in the alleged 'Cash for query' scandal are of grave importance.
"Matters related to user access, website policy etc. are within the purview of organizations that avail services from NIC. In the case of the Lok Sabha website, the organization availing services from NIC is the Lok Sabha Secretariat under the control of the Speaker, Lok Sabha. The issues raised in your letter are undoubtedly of grave importance. The subject matter of your letter is currently under investigation by the Committee on Ethics (Lok Sabha)," Vaishnaw's letter shared by Nishikant Dubey on X read.
Union Minister further wrote that National Informatics Centre (NIC) will promptly respond to any instructions in this matter from the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
"NIC will also extend full cooperation to the Committee on Ethics in the investigation of this matter," an official statement read.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey taking a dig at Mahua Moitra on Tuesday said that the greed of an MP has put the security of the country in danger.
Sharing the Union Minister's letter on X, the BJP MP said, "The greed of an MP put the security of the country in danger. This is not a question of party opposition, it is a question of the security and integrity of the country, which is above politics."
Reacting to the letter written by Union Minister Vaishnaw to BJP MP, TMC MP Mahua Moitra on X said, "Who is lying? 2 days ago Fake Degree Wala said NIC already given details including "Dubai" logins to probe agency. Now Ashwini Vaishnaw says NIC will give info in future IF asked by LS or Ethics Comm. BJP is welcome to do a hit job on me but Adani+Godda perhaps not the best strategists!"
"Amused to hear of Ashwini Vaishnaw's letter to Fake Degree Wala promising support in the "probe" against me! Still waiting for HMO India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to probe Farji Dubey's illegal entry into the airport ATC room last year with kids!" she said in another post on X.
Days after submitting a sworn affidavit on his claims to Parliament's ethics committee, the businessman at the centre of the alleged 'Cash for Query' scandal, Darshan Hiranandani, said that he regrets the personal error of judgment of using TMC MP Mahua Moitra's parliament login credentials.
In an interview with Television News Channel Times Now, Hiranandani said that the very fact that he got entangled in the matter was an error of judgment.
"I think that me being entangled in this whole matter is an error of my judgment. And like I said, I've been very clear and explicit in my affidavit about what happened. And, you know, I've got nothing more to add as far as that's concerned" Hiranandani said in his interview.
Hiranandani who is based in Dubai said he was under no pressure to sign the affidavit. Earlier the TMC MP Mahua Moitra had questioned his affidavit alleging that it was signed on white paper as "a gun was put to his head."
"The affidavit is signed by me, signed by me voluntarily, no fear, no favour. Testimony of that is that I had it notarized at the Indian consulate in Dubai. Since I am in Dubai, I had it notarized in the Indian Consulate in Dubai. Then I sent it to the Privilege Committee of Lok Sabha and copied to CBI and Dr. Nishikant Dubey by email" Hiranandani said in his interview.
When asked if he thought that TMC MP Mahua Moitra was looking to target businessman Gautam Adani and through that the Prime Minister, Hiranandani reiterated what was said in his affidavit."I think, I would prefer to stick to my affidavit in this regard, but I can tell you that she felt that attacking Mr. Adani would target the Prime Minister because there was perceived proximity as both are from the same state" he said.
The whole controversy erupted when BJP MP Nishikant Dubey wrote to the speaker alleging 'Cash for Query' proof against the TMC MP. He had claimed the said proof was provided by Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai.
The Parliament Ethics Committee has called both Dubey and Advocate Dehadrai to submit oral evidence of allegations before it on October 26.