Kolkata, Oct 24 (IANS): At a time when her party Trinamool Congress has stated to distance itself from her over the 'cash-for-query' controversy, Lok Sabha MP Mahua Maitra has received unexpected support from the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist).

In a social media post on Tuesday, CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said that the recent controversies over the cash-for-query case are nothing but “BJP’s character assassination campaign against Mahua Moitra".

Terming BJP MP Nishikant Dubey as a habitual offender of using derogatory and misogynistic language in the Parliament, Bhattacharya questioned the manner in which Dubey’s complain to the Lok Sabha Speaker against Moitra was promptly referred to the Ethics Committee of the Parliament.

“Ironically, the Ethics Committee also comprises Danish Ali of the BSP, who is yet to get justice in the case of the hate-filled threats directed against him by BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri,” Bhattacharya said.

He also claimed that a “dubious” affidavit signed by Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani is the only weapon for Dubey to defame Moitra in the matter.

“The affidavit followed an initial denial issued by the Hiranandani Group in response to Dubey’s allegations. The affidavit also accuses corporate lawyers Shardul Shroff and Pallavi Shroff and journalist Sucheta Dalal of helping Moitra in raising questions against the Adani Group, an allegation that has been categorically denied by the concerned lawyers and the journalist,” Bhattacharya said.

This, according to Bhattacharya, is clearly a concentrated attempt on part of the Union government to target every opposition Parliamentarian who have been vocal on this issue.

According to Bhattacharya, the targeting of Moitra should not be viewed just as an extension of any corporate rivalry.