Seeking her immediate resignation, the Congress on Wednesday stepped up the offensive against Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje accusing her of “repeatedly lying” on the Lalit Modi controversy.
“The curtains are off, the secret is out. The document signed by Vasundhara Raje dated August 18, 2011 supporting his immigration case before the British government is out. When the issue came out first, she feigned ignorance and then said she does not remember,” senior party leader Jairam Ramesh told reporters at the AICC briefing.
He was speaking after media reports showed a document purportedly signed by Ms. Raje in which she allegedly backed former IPL chief Lalit Modi’s immigration plea in Britain.
“BJP has always maintained that if papers are produced with her signature, then she is culpable. There is no need of anymore evidence, Vasundhara Raje stands thoroughly exposed,” Mr. Ramesh said.
Mr. Ramesh said the Congress seeks her immediate resignation as she has broken four laws — Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act, PMLA, Passport Act.
“She should immediately resign. It should be followed by the resignation of Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and HRD Minister Smriti Irani,” he said.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Ramesh said he knows it will be “difficult” for him to seek resignation of three leaders.
Hitting out at the Prime Minister, Mr. Ramesh said, “The government which advocates propriety and zero tolerance to corruption should immediately seek her resignation. The Prime Minister who used to speak so much on these issues one year back has been silent and has gone into a shell“.
Asked if he expects the BJP to sack the three leaders, he said it was not an opposition issue but an issue in which even the BJP leaders should demand so.
However, he said that the BJP is “brazen”. “BJP should be called Brazen Janata Party.”
Mr. Ramesh said saying the demand for resignation of the three leaders is “non-negotiable“.
After Wednesday night, the continuation of Ms. Raje as Chief Minister of Rajasthan is “immoral”, he said.
Asked if the issue would be raised during the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, he said, “Our struggle will continue both inside and outside Parliament.“
Displaying the seven-page document having 21 points, he said, “This has never happened in independent India before where a former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition has batted for a fugitive“.
He underlined that the word fugitive has been used by none other than BJP MP and former Home Secretary R.K. Singh.
“There is need for no more evidence. Raje stands exposed completely,” he said.
Top developments
| 1 | Mr. Modi alleged that Mr. Jaitley had control over the BCCI for decades and had continued to stick by his “oldest friend” — former Board president N. Srinivasan — even after the media and the court found him guilty. >Read more |
| 2 | A report in the Sunday Times said Mr. Modi had used the names of Prince of Wales Charles and Duke of York Prince Andrew in support of his claim for a travel permit. >Read more |
| 3 | Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria admitted that he had met Mr. Modi in London last year, but clarified that he had asked him to return to Mumbai and lodge a case in connection with underworld threats to his life. >Read more |
| 4 | Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked Mr. Maria to “provide information officially to the government as to what he has said in the media”. >Read more |
| 5 | Mr. Modi had dismissed allegations levelled against him in the controversy, saying that he was being targeted as part of a political conspiracy aimed at destabilising the Narendra Modi government. >Read more |
| 6 | Mr. Modi's counsel Mehmood Abdi accused former UPA Ministers Salman Khursheed, P. Chidambaram and Shashi Tharoor of being behind the current controversy. |
| 7 | BJP MP Kirti Azad, hinting at a feud within the party on Twitter, referred to a party insider playing a role in leaking information about Ms. Swaraj’s recommendation and her family’s association with Mr. Modi. >Read more |
| 8 | The U.K. said it will not probe into the allegations against Labour party MP Keith Vaz. The Commissioner for Standards examined a complaint of conflict-of-interest and dismissed it for lack of sufficient evidence. >Read more |
| 9 | The Union government and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh came out in full support of Ms. Swaraj. Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah said the recommendation was made on “humanitarian” and not “moral” grounds. >Read more |
| 10 | Ms. Swaraj defended her decision to recommend travel documents for former Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi, after taking a "humanitarian view" and asserted that she asked the British government to examine his request and follow the rules. |
