This Article is From Jun 14, 2015

Lalit Modi Controversy: BJP Backs Sushma Swaraj

Lalit Modi Controversy: BJP Backs Sushma Swaraj

File photo: Sushma Swaraj with Lalit Modi during an IPL match in New Delhi in 2010. (Press Trust of India photo)

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday strongly backed External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the controversy over the grant of travel documents to Lalit Modi, the former Indian Premier League commissioner who is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.

Backing Ms Swaraj, BJP President Amit Shah said, "There were no moral grounds involved. The help was based on humanitarian grounds."

Home Minister Rajnath Singh also backed the minister. "What Sushma ji has done, it is right... I want to clarify that the government stands with her. We justify it and the government completely stands by her." He said Ms Swaraj had only extended the favours on humanitarian grounds.

Ms Swaraj also spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clear her stand on the issue. Sources said she told the PM there was no wrong-doing on her part. The BJP's ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, also defended Ms Swaraj, saying whatever she might have done would have been guided by her "humane" nature and "nationalistic" spirit.

The opposition Congress has demanded Ms Swaraj's resignation for conveying India's no-objection to the UK for the grant of the documents to Lalit Modi in July 2014, accusing the minister of misusing her authority. The former IPL commissioner's passport was revoked in 2010 and restored by the Delhi High Court in August last year.

The Opposition parties have also alleged a conflict of interest after reports that Ms Swaraj's daughter has represented Lalit Modi. They asked whether Ms Swaraj's husband provided legal counsel to Lalit Modi as well. Court documents list Bansuri Swaraj as one of the lawyers appearing for Lalit Modi.

In a series of tweets, Ms Swaraj said she had merely conveyed Lalit Modi's request to the British envoy "taking a humanitarian view"."What benefit did I pass on to Lalit Modi... He was in London. After his wife's surgery, he came back to London. What is it that I changed?" she tweeted.

Ms Swaraj claimed that Lalit Modi told her that his wife was suffering from cancer and he had to be in hospital to sign the consent papers for her operation, which was to take place in Portugal.

Lalit Modi, the minister claimed, had said the UK government was prepared to give him travel documents, but was restrained by a communication from the erstwhile UPA government that it would "spoil Indo-UK relations".

"Taking a humanitarian view, I conveyed to the British High Commissioner that the British Government should examine the request of Lalit Modi as per British rules... If the British Government chooses to give travel documents... that would not spoil our bilateral relations," she added.

According to the British media, Indian-origin British MP Keith Vaz cited the name of Ms Swaraj to put pressure on UK's top immigration official to grant British travel papers to Lalit Modi.

Lalit Modi is facing an ED probe into allegations of financial irregularities in the IPL. He has been in the UK since 2010 when the IPL was caught in a huge storm over an alleged illegal betting scandal. The ED had also issued a lookout notice against him.
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