Sushma Swaraj's statement in Rajya Sabha without notice: Congress to Ansari

The party urged Chairman Hamid Ansari not to take it on record claiming it was "illegal"

Congress today objected to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's statement in the Rajya Sabha saying it was made without notice and urged Chairman Hamid Ansari not to take it on record claiming it was "illegal".

In her statement during the Zero Hour, Swaraj had made the statement saying she had not made any request to the British government for issue of travel documents to controversial former IPL chief Lalit Modi and asserted that all allegations against her were "baseless and unfounded".

In its complaint to the Chairman, Congress members have taken strong exception to Swaraj making the statement "suo motu without any notice" and sought his intervention to ensure that the "illegal" statement is not taken on record, sources said.

Congress member Madhusudan Mistry had raised the issue in the House during the Question Hour but could not be heard in the din. The Congress members have now taken up the issue with Ansari.

Swaraj managed to speak a few sentences in the Rajya Sabha amid slogan-shouting by Congress members seeking fixing of accountability in the Lalitgate and Vyapam scam but could not complete her statement.