AMN /
The main opposition Congress Friday launched yet another round of scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his studied silence over the Lalit Modi controversy.
“The Prime Minister is sitting in a new asana – his ears, nose, eyes and mouth are all shut at the same time. We hope after the yoga day on Sunday, he will come out of the Lalit Asana to the real world,” Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said.
“34 questions have been asked by the Congress on the issue that has been highlighted by the media. We have asked direct questions on the Lalit Modi case. We have asked these questions to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, to Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It’s sad that the PM refuses to answer,” he said.
Ramesh alleged there was a nexus between the top BJP leadership in the Lalitgate. “There is a deep nexus between a proclaimed offender (Lalit Modi), PM, Sushma Swaraj, Vasundhara Raje and Amit Shah. To save Parliament’s monsoon session, there is no way out other than the resignation of Swaraj and Raje,” he said. “First we thought that this was about impropriety but the documents in the public domain show nexus,” the former Union minister added.
Meanwhile BJP today rejected opposition demand for resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje over the Lalit Episode.
The party said the charges against them lack substance and the Congress is making mountain out of mole as it is not able to contest BJP on positive issues.
Talking to media in New Delhi today, party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said Vasundhara Raje has already clarified that she had family relations with Mr. Lalit Modi but the credibility of documents which are being shown against her is yet to be verified.
On reports that her son and MP Dushyant Singh’s company received investments from Lalit Modi, Mr. Trivedi said there is nothing new in it as the BJP MP has already given such facts in his IT return and election affidavit. He said the allegations do not show any corruption and impropriety against both the leaders technical and legally.
He also said there is no question of any inquiry against Ms Raje. In Sushma Swaraj case, Mr. Trivedi said she has already clarified that her help was on humanitarian grounds. Taking on the Congress, the BJP spokesperson said it was during UPA regime when former IPL Commissioner made money.
“Why these things are being raised before Bihar elections?” he asked. “They are unnecessarily trying to tarnish the image of Raje and Dushyant,” Rajasthan BJP chief Ashok Parnami said.
Parnami said misconceptions were being spread on a legal business transaction. He said Dushyant Singh’s firm has not done anything illegal. Dushyant is a BJP MP from Jhalawar-Baran constituency in Rajasthan.
“All transactions are as per law and the company has filed Income Tax returns regularly,” Parnami said while defending Dushyant Singh. It was purely a business dealing between Dushyant and Lalit Modi,” he said. “Moreover, all the details of the share transaction are in the company’s balance sheet,” he added.
He also presented the company’s balance sheets, audit report and some other documents in support of his statements. Parnami said: “If there was something wrong, then why the Congress, when they were a ruling party both at the Centre and in the state, did not launch a probe at that time? This clearly shows that Congress is raising baseless allegations and is engaging in petty politics.”
Rajasthan Health Minister Rajendra Rathore, who also attended the press conference, said all the legislators and some Independents are fully supporting Raje. “We all (legislature party), central leadership and some independents are behind her,” Rathore said.