NEW DELHI: As the Congress stepped up its attack on the government, releasing pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah with former IPL chairman Lalit Modi while seeking action against External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, the BJP and several ministers returned the fire as they strongly defended the beleaguered minister.
Senior BJP leaders like MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu, Prakash Javadekar and Rajiv Pratp Rudy defended Sushma saying that no wrongdoing had been committed and that help was extended on humanitarian grounds. While ally Shiv Sena defended Sushma, BJP MP Kirti Azad added fuel to the raging controversy by hinting that a party insider was behind the story.
The BJP fielded Environment Minister Javadekar to officially respond to the Congress’ charge saying the Opposition had gone bankrupt in terms of ideas and was raising a non-issue.
Javadekar instead launched a counter attack saying the Opposition should explain where their leader had gone on vacation and on what visa, in an apparent reference to Congress deputy chief Rahul Gandhi’s sabbatical earlier this year. “Its bankruptcy of ideas and politics that Congress is releasing pictures of Narendra Modi with Lalit Modi during a public event,” Javadekar said.
The BJP dismissed Rahul’s statement urging the Prime Minister to sack Sushma. Javadekar said he will not respond to such irrelevant demands. When Sushma has clarified and BJP chief Shah has responded, there is no point of debate. He went a step further to say even Sonia Gandhi and Rahul featured in photographs of all the accused in scams like Coal, 2G and CWG.
As the controversy raged on for second day, several ministers and leaders spoke in Sushma’s favour. Chouhan said, “Sushma is above all suspicion. Her entire life has been transparent...She had told the UK government to act within rules and regulations in connection with (Lalit) Modi’s case. What is wrong with it?” Chouhan said that she just made a request for a cancer patient on “humanitarian grounds” as per the rules.
Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav also backed the External Affairs Minister. The Shiv Sena also came out in support of Sushma.
