Gandhis do not have to work in the sun,Sushma Swaraj has to toil : Smriti Irani

"She (Swaraj) is a woman  who works hard and whose daughter has worked hard to earn", Irani said.

"The Gandhi family is an exception. They don't toil in the sun to earn their bread. I condemn this kind of allegation," she said while reacting to the two top Congress leaders' criticism of Swaraj in Parliament on the Lalit Modi controversy.

While Congress President Sonia Gandhi described as "theatrics" Swaraj's defence on the Lalit Modi issue, party Vice President Rahul Gandhi went a step ahead alleging that the External Affairs Minister's family had received money from the former IPL boss.

"Sushma Swaraj does drama, she is an expert in theatrics," the Congress President said giving the minister a tongue lashing.

However, Irani accused the Congress of  running away from discussion "as they have no proof."

" What do they know about khoon pasiney ki kamai (hard-earned money)? It is easier to give a 1.5 minute bite than a 1.5 hour speech," she said.

The Congress has been demanding Swaraj's resignation following revelation that the UK government granted travel documents to Lalit Modi after  the External Affairs Minister said the decision would not dent relations with India.

Rahul Gandhi said that the minister "maintained complete secrecy" about this conversation, which is an indication of "wrong doing."

"Sushmaji's family has received money from Mr Lalit Modi... she should tell the country exactly how much money has Lalit Modi paid her family to keep him out of jail," he said.

In her defence, Swaraj said in Parliament on Thursday that  she extended no favours for Lalit Modi. The only assistance she provided was to Lalit Modi's wife, who is "an Indian citizen and asked for the support of her husband as she travelled to Portugal for treatment for cancer."

Swaraj  had said, "Lalit Modi's wife is innocent, has broken no laws... I want to ask Sonia Gandhi, what would she have done in my place?"

The Congress has been on an unrelenting agitation demanding Swaraj's resignation for her help to a "fugitive" and the situation has led to deadlock in Parliament.

No Congress lawmaker, including  Sonia Gandhi, was present in the Lok Sabha when Swaraj made her statement; they are all boycotting House proceedings for the five days that Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has suspended more than half the party's MPs for.

Lalit Modi left the country in 2010 amid controversies over a series of corruption charges against him. Last year he was  allowed to accompany his wife from London to a hospital in Portugal.