#IStandWithSushmaSwaraj trends on Twitter

The Congress on Sunday demanded External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's resignation over helping former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi, who is accused of financial irregularities in the game, procure travel documents in the UK last year.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala told media: "Entire country is shocked to learn about an sensational document directly related to Sushma Swaraj."

He said :"The Sushma Swaraj issue also highlights the internal rumblings of the BJP and it's government."

Attacking the minister, he said: "PM and Modi had sought the resignation of Shashi Tharoor in the IPL controversy, will they apply the same moral grounds?"

Triggering a controversy,  the External Affairs Minister on Sunday defended herself and said she helped convey his request to the British envoy 'taking a humanitarian view.'

In a series of tweets, Swaraj said, "Sometime in July 2014 Lalit Modi spoke to me that his wife was suffering from Cancer and her surgery was fixed for 4th Aug in Portugal. He told me that he had to be present in the Hospital to sign the consent papers. He informed me that he had applied for travel documents in London and UK Government was prepared to give him the travel documents."

She wrote: "However, they were restrained by a UPA Government communication that this will spoil Indo-UK relations. Taking a humanitarian view, I conveyed to the British High Commissioner that 'British Government should examine the request of Lalit Modi as per British rules and regulations."

"If the British Government chooses to give travel documents to Lalit Modi, that will not spoil our bilateral relations. Keith Vaz also spoke to me and I told him precisely what I told the British High Commissioner. I genuinely believe that in a situation such as this, giving emergency travel documents to an Indian citizen cannot and should not spoil relations between the two countries," she said.

Lalit Modi has been in the UK since 2010 when the India Premier League was caught in a huge controversy over an alleged betting scandal.

Modi's passport was revoked in March that year.

However, Modi was given a visa after Indian-origin British MP Keith Vaz recommended his name.

According to the British media, Vaz said Swaraj had pressurised UK's top immigration official to grant British travel papers to Modi.