Why is PM quiet of Sushma-Lalit Modi controversy: Congress
June 16, 2015 14:29
Mounting pressure on the Narendra Modi government to sack Sushma Swaraj for facilitating travel documents of former IPL chief Lalit Modi, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Tuesday said that what the external affairs minister did was unwarranted.
Addressing a press conference, Sharma said the actions of the government of India and the external affairs minister were "unwarranted" and sought to know why concessions were made to facilitate Lalit Modi's travel to Portugal.
"When there were no specific queries from the authorities in the UK, why did the GoI made this unacceptable concession," the Congress leader asked.
Sharma rubbished the claim that the concession was made on humanitarian grounds.
"There was no invasive surgery (for Lalit Modi's wife) for which the emergency travel documents were required," Sharma said, adding it's a false claim that this was done on humanitarian grounds.
"Lalit Modi was holidaying in a place called Ibiza when the passport was restored. But the Indian government did not appeal," Sharma said, adding "this person for whom humanitarian empathy was invoked was holidaying in various countries despite declaring bankruptcy".
Arguing that Lalit Modi should have been extradited and prosecuted, Sharma said, "We have to ask PM Narendra Modi directly, why is he quiet? Can there be different set of rules when you talk of probity?"
Can there be one set of rules for UPA ministers and another for his ministers? Narendra Modi had himself pressed for resignations of UPA ministers even if there was a shadow of doubt, Sharma added.
"These are all friends of Lalit Modi, they are protecting him. They are hiding facts. PM Modi must answer."
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