Lalit Modi issue: Left demands resignation of Swaraj, Raje

Left parties today demanded the resignation of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje after a document, purportedly carrying her signature, backing Lalit Modi's immigration application in the UK surfaced.
The CPI(M) termed the revelation as "national affront", while CPI insisted the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "break his silence" and also sought an inquiry into the matter.
Raje is accused of supporting the immigration application of the former IPL chief in 2011 when she was the Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly.
The communist parties also demanded that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj should put in her papers for allegedly facilitating Lalit Modi in procuring British travel documents.

"It was shocking that Raje had made a conditionality then that her support for Lalit Modi should be kept confidential and not be known to Indian authorities. This is a new low from a political leader and a national affront. The politburo demands her immediate resignation," CPI(M) said in a statement.
Commenting on the Lalit Modi controversy, CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said the episode speaks volume of BJP's connections with "corrupt and criminal personalities" and demanded formation of a SIT to probe the matter.

"The Prime Minister is sitting like a 'Mauna Muni' on the BJP's naked corruption exposures. Time demands he should break his silence and speak," Reddy said.

Meanwhile, CPI national secretary D Raja too insisted the Prime Minister to own responsibility for conduct of the Ministers.
Raja demanded ouster of Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani in the 'fake degree' case.
"If AAP leader (Jitender Singh Tomar) is being prosecuted in a fake degree case, then same standards should be applied to Irani too. So, she has to step down," Raja said.
Opposition parties have mounted pressure on Irani to step down after a Delhi court took cognisance of a complaint that she gave false information about her educational qualification ahead of Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and also while filing nomination for Rajya Sabha in 2011.