Lalit Modi visa row: 'Sushma owes explanation to nation', says NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj owes an explanation to the country regarding her alleged role in the

expedition of former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi's travel papers from the United Kingdom despite the red alert issued by the government.

"This is a question of propriety. She (Sushma Swaraj) owes an explanation to the country," NCP leader D.P. Tripathi told ANI here.

Swaraj had yesterday said that 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 the same, 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.

Meanwhile, Tripathi informed that the problem of Indians living in Middle East countries would be taken up during a meeting to be held today at the Jawahar Bhavan.

"Today's discussion is about discussing the problems of Indians living in the Middle East countries," said Tripathi.

According to reports, senior CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shatrugan Sinha would be present in the meeting among others.