Sushma Swaraj insists Congress is backing Tejpal

Union minister Sibal gas clarified to the media that he had no shares in Tehelka

A day after Law Minister Kapil Sibal blamed BJP leader Sushma Swaraj for drawing his name into the Tarun Tejpal controversy, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Thursday said she never named anyone but the Congress was backing the Tehelka editor-in-chief.

Sushma Swaraj Wednesday tweeted: "Union Cabinet Minister who is the founder and patron of Tehelka is shielding Tarun Tejpal."

Soon after her comment, Sibal clarified to the media that he had no shares in Tehelka.

The minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of drawing him into the controversy because he has been vocal against the party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

Sushma Swaraj Thursday said: "I did not name Kapil Sibal, why did he choose to give a clarification to the media? I still stand by my allegation, Congress is saving Tejpal."

Sushma Swaraj also condemned her party leader Vijay Jolly for organising a protest in front of the house of Tehelka's managing editor Shoma Chaudhury, who resigned in the morning.

"I will never agree with this method of protest. Both I and Arun Jaitley had told Jolly not to stage such a protest," she said.

"Party president (Rajnath SIngh) will take action against him, but I totally condemn it," she said.

BJP workers led by Jolly Thursday protested outside Chaudhury's residence, demanding her immediate arrest for allegedly trying to cover up a sexual harassment complaint against Tejpal by a woman journalist.