New Delhi: A BJP delegation of Ms Raje, HRD minister Smriti Irani, transport minister Nitin Gadkari and party leader Vijay Jolly had gone to London in 2011. There was speculation that the BJP team had watched a cricket match at Lord’s, for which tickets or passes were organised by the former IPL chief. Both Mr Gadkari and Mr Jolly issued statements denying meeting Lalit Modi.
Mr Jolly said, “We did see the Lord’s match. Mr Modi was not there.” When asked about the crisis faced by the BJP involving some ministers and the Rajasthan CM, parliamentary affairs minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said there was “no crisis in the BJP”. The BJP has decided to stand by Ms Raje at this juncture as any move to remove her will have a direct impact on both external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and HRD minister Smriti Irani.
While Ms Swaraj was also accused of facilitating Lalit Modi’s UK travel documents, Ms Irani is under the scanner for an alleged false affidavit on her educational qualifications. The Congress, meanwhile, kept up the pressure on the ruling party and questioned Prime Minister Modi’s “silence” and “refusal to take action” against the controversial ministers. The Congress said it would hold parleys with other Opposition parties on raising these issues in the coming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot noted that the BJP “does not take even five minutes in firing the home secretary, finance secretary and foreign secretary on any issue, but they are not taking action against BJP leaders even (though) they accept their role.” He asked, “Why is the PM hesitating to take any action?”
