Sushma Swaraj faces heat, demands for her resignation grow

The Congress party stepped up its protest against External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday demanding her resignation over the Lalit Modi row.

Congress activists held rallies across the country burning the effigies of Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje who also allegedly helped Modi.

Lalit Modi admitted in an interview to a local media channel that Raje also helped him in facilitating travel papers.

In Kolkata, the protesters took to streets and shouted slogans against Swaraj and Raje.

They also demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sack Swaraj.

"We demand immediate resignation of Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje for helping a criminal. The help is not from anybody but by a minister of the country," said a protestor, Pradeep Prasad.

Swaraj has denied the allegations and said on social media she was helping Lalit Modi, who is presently based in London, on "humanitarian" grounds as he needed to visit his "ailing wife" in Portugal.

Congress leader P.C. Chacko said the party would not back off till action was taken against Swaraj and demanded an inquiry against her.

"BJP is neck deep involved in this naked corruption. There is no other way, Sushma Swaraj should immediately step down. There has to be a high level inquiry. What the Congress is demanding is an investigation guided by or supervised by the Supreme Court of India," said Chacko.