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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Complaint against Smriti Irani: Court slaps cost on petitioner

The cost was imposed as neither petitioner, Ahmer Khan, a freelance writer, nor his main counsel was available in the court to argue the plea.

Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain, however, allowed the plea seeking exemption from personal appearance moved on Khan's behalf only for Thursday.

As the matter came up for hearing, one of the advocates appearing for the petitioner, moved an application seeking exemption from personal appearance for Khan saying he was out of Delhi due to some urgent work.

The lawyer sought adjournment of the matter saying the main counsel, who had to argue on the complaint, was also not available on Thursday.

"...exemption and adjournment is allowed for today only subject to cost of Rs 1,000 to be submitted in the DLSA (Delhi Legal Services Authority)," the magistrate said and fixed the matter for hearing on June 1.

In his complaint Khan has alleged that Irani's affidavit for the April 2004 Lok Sabha elections stated she had completed her BA in 1996 from Delhi University (school of correspondence).

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Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Union Ministers in NDMC defaulters list

Others who figure in the list of electricity and water bill defaulters, which has been made public by NDMC, are former Union Minister Jainarain Prasad Nishad, L K Advani, Digvijay Singh and Jagdish Tytler.

In the list of dues pending upto December 2014 billing cycle, 166 MPs from Lok Sabha and 151 MPs of Rajya Sabha have figured. Nishad, Devegowda and Telangana CM K Chandrashekhra Rao top the list with their outstanding bills running into lakhs.
  
While Nishad owes the NDMC Rs 18.47 lakh, Devegowda and Rao owes Rs 1.49 and 1.27 lakh respectively. While former Prime Minister Singh owes Rs 22,934, the dues of Gandhi and Jairam Ramesh are as low as Rs 193.68 and Rs 206.
  
Digvijay Singh is yet to pay Rs 25,484, Jagdambika Pal-Rs 30,953, Paswan-Rs 49,464, Shashi Tharoor-Rs 7,374 and Advani Rs 3311.
  
Union Ministers Irani and Heptullah have dues of Rs 12,934 and Rs 1,627 pending against them. Amar Singh, Moti Lal Vora, Rajpal Singh Saini, Palvai Govardhan Reddy and Birender Singh owe Rs 1.47 lakh, 1.31 lakh, Rs 76,934 and Rs 68,134 to the civic body respectively.

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Sharad Yadav expresses regret over remarks against Smriti Irani

"I regret (the controversy). I respect her," he said in Rajya Sabha, after Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said a "very improper impression" had been created in the media on Yadav's remarks during a discussion in the House two days ago.    

Jaitley urged Yadav to clarify his remarks and put the controversy to rest.
   
After expressing regret and saying he respected Irani, JD(U) chief also said he had been the first person to defend Irani when the controversy over her degrees had erupted.     

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