Lalit Modi row: It's not 'Sushma issue' but 'Narendra Modi issue', says Rahul

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the ongoing row over External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and former IPL chairman Lalit Modi is not a 'Sushma issue' but 'Narendra Modi issue' as he is the one who is running the government.

"I had said this before as well that this is not a 'Sushma issue' but 'Narendra Modi' issue. They are trying to save Modi not Sushma. There is only one person who is running the government. Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister, he is running the country and he is the one trying to save himself. I had called it a suit-boot ki sarkar earlier but gradually people will realise that it is a suit-boot and loot ki sarkaar," said Gandhi.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had earlier said that all the allegations against Swaraj are 'baseless' adding that whatever she did was with a 'good intention'.

"All allegations are baseless. Her statement and the party president's statement have also come out. Whatever she did was with a good intention, the government as well as the party have agreed on this. The ED has investigated several cases against Lalit Modi, showcause notices have been issued in many of them," said Jaitley while addressing a joint press conference with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Swaraj had on Sunday said she had taken a humanitarian view of Lalit Modi's case since his wife was suffering from cancer.

She further said that British MP Keith Vaz had spoken to her on thesame, adding she believes that giving an Indian citizen 'emergency travel documents' cannot spoil relations between India and the UK.

Vaz, who is facing an inquiry in the UK over the role he played in Modi receiving his travel papers, said that he had checked with the Indian Government before taking any action and added that he had received a 'no objection' from New Delhi.