Congress questions Jaitley's 'clean chit' to Raje's son

The Congress on Monday accused External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje of violating central laws in their dealings with former IPL chief Lalit Modi and questioned Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's "clean chit" to Raje's son.

The party asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "break his silence" and posed five questions to him.

Addressing a press conference here, former union minister Jairam Ramesh and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje violated the Prevention of Corruption Act, Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Foreign Exchange Management Act and the Passport Act.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's statement in the US that the financial dealings between Raje's son Dushyant Singh and Lalit Modi were "commercial transactions" would influence the Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the matter, said Azad, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

"Why is the finance minister giving a clean chit to Raje, her son and Lalit Modi? It is very surprising," Azad said.

"We are convinced that the ED probe is going to be a whitewash," the Congress said.

Taking a dig at the prime minister for his silence on the issue, Jairam Ramesh said: "The PM should break his 'maun vrat' and do some 'Mann ki Baat'."

"The entire country is hearing the roar of his silence. He should say at least something," he said.

Azad said the party was sticking to its demand for the resignation of Swaraj and Raje.

Seeking the PM's reply, Azad said: "(We are) slowly coming to the conclusion that the prime minister is party to this (matter)".

Sushma Swaraj has been accused of helping former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi in getting British travel documents on "humanitarian grounds" to travel to Portugal in 2014 as his Indian passport stood revoked.

Raje is accused of testifying in favour of Lalit Modi's British immigration application in 2011.