New Delhi: Congress today demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must break his silence in the controversy over External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj helping former IPL chief Lalit Modi to procure travel documents in UK.
Speaking to reporters, Congress leader Ajoy Kumar also demanded that the Prime Minister should immediately sack Swaraj for using her chair to favour an economic offender.
"Modi should break his silence and tell his Mann ki Baat to the nation to make his stand clear on the issue," Kumar said.
Kumar further said that the Narendra Modi government was not just a 'suit-boot ki sarkaar' but was also trying to shield Lalit Modi.
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"The BJP, the External Affairs Minister and the whole government have come out to save an accused of the Enforcement Directorate. The 'suit-boot ki sarkar' is doing everything to save an economic offender," Kumar said.
The Congress leader also termed it very strange how the Prime Minister was unaware of Swaraj's efforts to help the former IPL commissioner.
"It seems strange that the PM was not aware of Swaraj helping Lalit Modi. The PM should immediately sack her," Kumar said.
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Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh also demanded explanations from the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over the entire issue.
"PM Narendra Modi and Arun Jaitley should make clear whether Swaraj's action were appropriate or not," Singh said.
"I have greatest regard for Sushma Swaraj but this is a matter of state. Why is Mr Jaitley quiet," Singh added.
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A controversy erupted after Sunday Times of London reported that Modi was granted visa to Portugal with the consent and recommendation of Swaraj. The Union Minister, however, claimed that she did nothing wrong other than taking a 'humanitarian view' of an Indian.
Lalit Modi moved to London in 2010 amid Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation of FEMA violations amounting to 425 crore in IPL TV rights deal by Lalit Modi in 2009.
