BJP strongly backs Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje, rules out resignation

 Shedding its reticence, the BJP on Friday backed Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and ruled out her resignation or that of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on the Lalit Modi row even as Congress threatened to disrupt the Monsoon session of Parliament if they do not quit.

The BJP's defence came on a day Raje, who is facing a storm over her secret witness statement supporting the former IPL boss' immigration plea in Britain, cancelled her visit to Anandpur Sahib in Punjab where she would have met party president Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The BJP had put up a muted defence of Swaraj when the controversy broke out on Sunday over her help to tainted Modi get British travel document saying she had acted on humanitarian considerations but offered no defence of Raje in the last two days.

Taking its attack to a new level, the Congress alleged a nexus between Lalit Modi, the Prime Minister, BJP President, Swaraj and Raje and said the only way for the government to "save" itself and the Parliament session is to make the two women leaders resign from their positions.

"We hope after Yoga Day and after 'Lalitasan', the Prime Minister will take some strong action," party leader Jairam Ramesh told reporters adding "there is no other way". Today, the BJP fielded its spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi at a press briefing in the party headquarters where he rejected the demands for resignation of the two top leaders.

The party strategy may have been apparently devised after separate meetings between Home Minister Rajnath Singh with the Prime Minister and between Amit Shah and the Prime Minister late last night.
To questions whether there will be action against Swaraj or Raje, he said, "The question is imaginary There is no technical and legal base that you can say there is any point of impropriety." 

Trivedi said while the party's top leadership has made its position clear on the issue of Swaraj, the validity of the documents produced against Raje is not yet verified. He also rejected charges of corruption and impropriety on the part of the two leaders for links with Modi and termed as "laughable" the questions raised by the opposition without any basis.

"We have already made it clear that there is no corruption. There is no technical or legal definition of corruption or misappropriation is not evident. Opposition is using these issues to make a mountain out of a molehill for their own political gains on feeble grounds," he said. Asked why the party took so much time to come out in support of Raje, he said, the questions raised by the media were imaginary.

"Before making any demand, it should be seen whether that demand is substantive. Whether any wrong doing or corruption has taken place. To make such a demand in the absence of substantive evidence is not right and baseless," he said. He said Raje has clarified to the party top brass and the talks between the party and her are continuing. He, however, rejected any demand of any inquiry, internal or otherwise against Raje.

The party even went the extra distance to defend Raje's son Dushyant Singh, MP, saying as far as his company's dealings with Modi, they were above board. The Rajasthan BJP also put up a strong defence of Dushyant Singh. Trivedi said it was not a new issue and facts have been mentioned in Dushyant Singh's Income Tax returns as well his affidavit before the Lok Sabha polls.

Modi, who is wanted by the Enforcement Directorate in several cases including charges of money laundering, has been staying in London and has not come to India to face questioning in the cases.