Visa row exposes blatant quid pro quo between BJP leadership, Lalit Modi: Congress

The Congress Party on Sunday attempted to corner Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the ongoing controversy surrounding the travel documents issued to Lalit Modi and said that this episode exposes the blatant quid pro quo on the part of the BJP leadership and the controversial IPL founder.

AICC spokesman Randeep Surjewala said India has today witnessed a most unfortunate and a drama unfold where the highest offices of the Government of India, including the office of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, was found to be directly involved with a clear cut needle of suspicion resting at the doorsteps of Prime Minister Modi.

"We also saw what can be termed as the blatant quid pro quo on the part of the BJP leadership and Shri Lalit Modi. We also witnessed a near fratricidal war between the highest equivalence of power and ministries in Government of India," said Surjewala.

"We also witnessed as to how there is a clear cut nexus between money launderers, match-fixers, illegal betters and BJP leadership," he added.

Swaraj had earlier in the day 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.