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Mahua Moitra breached govt policy by sharing parliamentary login details, says BJP MP
BJP MP accused Mahua Moitra of breaching security policies by allegedly sharing her parliamentary login details with businessman Darshan Hiranandani.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey on Sunday continued to target Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra amid the ongoing ‘cash-for-query’ row, accusing her of breaching security policies for government websites and emails by allegedly sharing her parliamentary login details with businessman Darshan Hiranandani.
The ‘E-mail Policy of Government of India’ released in 2014 said that a user is responsible for “any data/e-mail that is transmitted using the GoI e-mail system” and added that “sharing of passwords is prohibited”.
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“The User is responsible for any data/e-mail that is transmitted using the GoI e-mail system. All e-mails/data sent through the mail server are the sole responsibility of the user owning the account. b) Sharing of passwords is prohibited,” the policy statement said.
Hiranandani in a signed affidavit said that he gifted Moitra “expensive luxury items”, underwriting the “renovation of her official” bungalow; and posting “questions directly on her behalf” using the Parliament login and password that she provided him.
Dubey, whose complaint against Moitra is currently being probed by the Lok Sabha’s Ethics Committee, shared parts of the policy on X and said: “For people giving goodwill to the MP who is playing with national security, the Government of India’s Policy 2014 for Mail I’d, portal, intranet, clearly says that you cannot share your password with anyone. This is This is a bigger issue than the cash for questions of 2005. Support us in the interest of the country, not the opposition.”
Speaking on condition of anonymity, officials aware of the matter said that all MPs are provided official email by the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha secretariat and they are regularly advised against sharing their passwords. “The password policy of the government mentions that users shall be responsible for all activity performed with their personal user IDs. Users shall not permit others to perform any activity with their user IDs or perform any activity with IDs belonging to other users”,” said an official.
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The official added that the policy advises the MPs against sharing their log in details with their staff also.
“The policy further states all access codes, including user ID passwords, network passwords, PINs etc. shall not be shared with anyone, including personal assistants or secretaries. These shall be treated as sensitive, confidential information,” the official added.
Moitra is scheduled to appear before the Ethics Panel on November 2 and has urged the panel to let her cross examine Hiranandani.
She has rejected the allegations against her, posting on X on Saturday: “First BJP said ‘Cash for Questions’. That failed since NO evidence to back fake allegation. Now it is ‘National Security’.
