Lalitgate: PM losing political capital by being silent, says Congress

Stepping up attack on BJP leadership over Lalit Modi controversy, Congress today said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was losing political capital by trying to protect foreign minister and Rajasthan chief minister through his continued silence on the "indefensible issue".

The party alleged that union ministers were also giving clean chits to both the leaders without any investigation and probe, thus "exposing" the double standards of BJP.

PCC President Sachin Pilot, while demanding resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and state Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for helping former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi, said that the allegations against them were levelled by Lalit Modi himself and not the Congress party.

"The allegations against the BJP leaders were have not been brought by Congress. We as the Congress party demand their resignations on legal, ethical and moral grounds," Pilot said at a press conference here.

"Ministers in Government of India are neither heads of investigation agencies nor judges in the court of law and it is very surprising that they, before investigation is conducted or finished by Enforcement Directorate, are giving clean chits to people against whom there are serious allegations," he said.

Pilot said, "No one in the party and the government is denying existence of these documents. BJP said that till the documents were verified, they would not ask for her resignation but it will take the government of India one hour to verify authenticity of those documents," he said.

Targeting the prime ministeri, Pilot said that his silence on indefensible issue has exposed him and he was losing political capital day by day.

"PM's words - Na Khaunga Na Khande Dunga (neither will I take bribe, nor will I allow anyone to take bribe) - have come to haunt him. He is losing political capital and he and his party have been fully exposed. BJP is obstinate on this issue but we will not let the issue die down," he said.

"The party will raise it in parliament and in the state assembly sessions," he added.