Congress uses Shanta Kumar's remarks to attack BJP

The Congress on Wednesday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party over its parliamentary member Shanta Kumar's outburst over the Vyapam scam, saying his was a voice of "introspection".

Congress spokesperson Gaurav Gogoi said if the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government was actually serious about running parliament, it should seek resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and two BJP chief ministers facing controversies.

He said the onus of running parliament smoothly was on the government.

Gogoi reiterated the party's allegation that Swaraj helped former IPL chief Lalit Modi in getting British travel documents even as a blue corner notice was pending against him.

"Her conduct is illegal and immoral," the spokesperson said.

Referring to the government's offer that Swaraj would make a statement, he said, it was a diversionary tactic.

"We demand that Sushma Swaraj resigns at the outset," he said while also demanding resignation of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje over her help to Lalit Modi and of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over the Vyapam scam.

"The will of the people is to see these ministers and chief ministers to go," he said.

Answering a query, the Congress spokesperson said BJP leader and parliamentarian Shanta Kumar "was supporting" the Congress' stance.

"He is raising an important voice of introspection and is possibly reminding the BJP of 'raj dharma'. It is time for the BJP to realise that when the opposition is raising these issues, it is not merely disruption but an important issue finding resonance within their own party," he added.

Kumar, a senior BJP leader and Kangra MP, released copies of his letter to party president Amit Shah, stating that Vyapam scam had dented the image of the BJP-led central government.