Congress continues attacking Centre, demands Swaraj, Raje' resignations
"There is no way out for the PM and the BJP now, but resignations of Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said while addressing a press conference here.
He said: "The Central Government is caught in a trap of it's making and the only way it can save itself by getting the resignation of the EAM and the Rajasthan CM."
Amid reports that the ruling BJP is distancing itself from backing Raje on the issue of former IPL chief Lalit Modi till she comes clean on it, reports said the Rajasthan CM has cancelled a trip to Punjab to share a public platform with BJP president Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday.
Reports quoting sources said Raje apparently cancelled the trip owing to her indisposition.
She was scheduled to visit Punjab to join the celebrations of 350 years of Sikh shrine Anandpur Sahib. She would have shared the public platform with Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at the event.
Being cornered by the Oppositions over the Lalit Modi visa row, the BJP is backing its Swaraj and said she has done nothing wrong by helping the former Indian Premier League commissioner procure travel documents.
However, reports said that Raje, who is also facing resignation over her ties with Lalit Modi, is not receiving similar support.
Speaking to NDTV, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra said there was "no gag order" but Raje needed to clarify. "Obviously, she knows how to handle these things. So let her clarify. Once we have the facts, we will speak on it," Mitra said.
Reports said BJP chief Amit Shah has asked Raje to not speak to reporters over the issue.
At the centre of a raging controversy involving the BJP bigwigs who reportedly helped him travel in Europe, Lalit Modi had earlier said he was taken to task by the former UPA government for no reason though even some ministers of that government had helped him, a claim that was denied by the leaders he named.
Besides Swaraj, Raje had helped former IPL commissioner's application for immigration to the UK in 2011 too, said reports.
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