The Congress on Tuesday called for a probe by a special investigation team monitored by the Supreme Court into allegations of nexus between BJP leaders and scam-tainted former IPL boss Lalit Modi.
"We demand a detailed probe. This govt can't be trusted so the Supreme Court should set up an SIT, " Congress leader Anand Sharma said at a press conference.
"The government has to be accountable and transparent," Sharma said referring to reports which said external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj helped facilitate travel papers for Modi who has been charged with alleged financial impropriety.
He said the issue was not merely about Modi's travel papers but about a "nexus" which involved the "senior leadership of the government involved in cricket management."
He also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the matter saying there cannot be two sets of rules on probity.
Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh too questioned the government's silence over Modi.
"I want to ask the Prime Minister, I want to ask finance minister, why are they keeping quiet? We would like to know whether Lalit Modi is evading tax? Why is he not coming to India? Is there a blue or red corner notice against him? Is he an absconder? Is he a fugitive? We want to know," Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}"I want to ask the Prime Minister, I want to ask finance minister, why are they keeping quiet? We would like to know whether Lalit Modi is evading tax? Why is he not coming to India? Is there a blue or red corner notice against him? Is he an absconder? Is he a fugitive? We want to know," Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}He also asked the ruling party to explain the reference to 'asteen ka saanp'( snake in the grass) in a tweet by BJP MP Kirti Azad which came as the row erupted.
Azad had on Monday made a reference to an 'asteen ka saanp' in a tweet while also claiming at the same time that there was a conspiracy by a party insider and a media personality to target Swaraj.
Meanwhile, hitting back at Congress, BJP said the opposition party was "frustrated" and had shown its "complete bankruptcy" by using a "non-issue" to target Swaraj.
Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar said that the matter had ended after the external affairs minister offered a clarification. Referring to pictures being dug up by Congress showing Modi with BJP leaders, he said those were old photographs dating back to 2010 and that the opposition party's actions suggest that it has "lost the plot"
"That time Lalit Modi was IPL chairman. There was no accusation against him, he was not charged. Narendra Modi was Gujarat chief minister and also the chairman of Gujarat Cricket Association. Amit Shah was vice chairman of the cricket association. So, Congress has lost the plot," Javadekar said in Chennai.
He added that there were also pictures of Congress leaders with Lalit Modi and that opposition parties were silent about that.
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