New Delhi: Division in the Opposition parties has given the government managers sufficient time to manage the crisis which has erupted on the issue of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj’s assistance to scam-tainted Lalit Modi in obtaining travel documents in the UK.
While the Congress and the Left are pressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on the issue, saying Ms Swaraj has lost the moral right to be in the Cabinet, the stance of the Samajwadi Party, NCP, RJD, Trinamul Congress and the silence of the AIADMK and the BJD on this issue has weakened the Oppo-sition’s onslaught, at least for the time being.
But this issue, which has damaged the moral face of the government, is unlikely to die down, with the Opposition MPs planning to raise it during the Monsoon Session of Parliament next month. Meanwhile, hardening further its stand on “Modigate”, the Congress on Tuesday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored SIT probe into the “scandal”.
Having already demanded the resignation of Ms Swaraj and registration of a case against her, the party alleged since the “senior leadership” in the government was “in cahoots” with the former IPL boss, an independent inquiry was required.
“There has been nexus of the senior leadership of the government (with former IPL boss Lalit Modi) which has been in cahoots in cricket management or mismanagement. An independent inquiry by a Supreme Court-monitored SIT is necessary,” party spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters. He insisted a thorough investigation in the affair is needed as the issue is “not restricted” to just to travel documents.
