Congress, AAP step up demand for resignation of four BJP women Ministers

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje are embroiled in a row over extending help to tainted former IPL boss Lalit Modi while HRD Minister Smriti Irani faced trouble with a Delhi court taking cognizance of a complaint against her for allegedly misrepresenting educational qualifications in her election affidavits. Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde is the fourth Minister caught in a row.
   
Sharpening its attack on BJP after the emergence of a document backing Lalit Modi's immigration application in the UK which purportedly bears Raje's signature, the Congress said the party should ask the Chief Minister to step down as it can no longer "continue to defend the indefensible".
   
"I am of the opinion that after what has now been made public, there is absolutely no scope left, no face left for BJP to manoeuvre and defend its leadership," it said.
  
"There cannot be two laws in this country. One for common citizens and one for high-ranking BJP officials. Therefore... I think it is in the best interest of the state and also of BJP to ask the chief minister to put in her papers as soon as possible," Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said.
   
Congress staged twin protests at Jantar Mantar and outside its headquarters and demanded the immediate resignation of Swaraj, Irani and Raje.
   
The protesters also tore an effigy of Irani and placards inscribed with messages that mocked the "farce" of her academic qualifications and warned the government against "toying with education".
   
Scores of AAP workers staged a protest outside Irani's residence demanding her resignation.
   
Congress's Delhi unit chief Lalit Maken accused the prime minister of "inaction" in the wake of the raging controversies involving his party leaders.

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Why Government not making any efforts to bring Lalit back, asks

The Congress also termed as 'condemnable' the reported allegations against President Pranab Mukherjee that he, as Finance Minister in the then UPA government, spearheaded the party's 'revenge' politics against Lalit Modi.

"Allegations against the President are condemnable. What the government is doing to bring him back? Why red corner notice has not been issued to him?

"Why the government has not approached the Supreme Court to cancel passport issued to Lalit Modi?" Congress spokesman Meem Afzal asked, noting that till yesterday, Lalit Modi had been targeting former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and now he has trained his guns on the President.

Afzal attacked the government and the BJP alleging that they were 'shielding' External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

Questioning the 'silence' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the matter, Afzal asked whether PM Modi would break his silence only when he would be the target of attack by the former IPL chief, a fugitive and economic offender. The government will have to say what action is being taken against the tainted cricket administrator, he added.

According to reports, the former IPL chief has accused Mukherjee of spearheading Congress' 'revenge' politics against him for Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's resignation.

"It was clear even before Tharoor resigned that Congress was furious over my decision to reveal Tharoor's ownership interest in the Kochi bid," Modi had said in his plea to the UK authorities while seeking permission to stay as a representative of an overseas business.

Modi also blamed Mukherjee for engineering the Enforcement Directorate's probe against him in retaliation to Tharoor's sacking as Minister of state for External Affairs, the reports stated.

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Lalit Modi warns detractors of 'sensational disclosures'

Naming a number of senior UPA ministers, Modi in a series of tweets claimed his disclosures, which he termed as "bombshells", would implicate the "erstwhile PMO".

"Congress party should be watching this press conference. So should all who have jumped up and down in last few years," he said in a tweet.

"Lastly before I board another flight to another beautiful destination. This is war. So bring it on. I choose to lose a battle to win a war," a combative Modi, who is based in London, said in another tweet.

Apparently referring to Opposition's demand for Swaraj's resignation, he said "wrong people resignations are being asked. I can assure u now the storm is about to hit. Lots more resignations will be (sic)."

"Now finally it's my turn to get EVERYTHING OUT. THERE ARE MANY BOMBSHELLS. see for yourselves. Then judge," he said.   

He also asked the UK government to look out for his disclosures "As there is lots of Q u will have to answer to media I can assure u."

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