Swaraj hits back at journo who raked up propriety issue

Under attack for helping fugitive former IPL boss Lalit Modi obtain travel documents in UK, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today hit back at a TV journalist who had raked up the issue of propriety in the matter.

"Look who is preaching propriety -of all the persons...," Swaraj tweeted.

Swaraj has been under attack by political parties and others for helping scam-tainted Modi to obtain British travel documents after the disclosure of emails showing that she had spoken to Indian-origin British MP Keith Vaz and its High Commissioner here James Bevan seeking favours for the former cricket administrator, who had to go to Portugal, purportedly for his wife's cancer treatment in June last year.

After the reports surfaced, 63-year-old Swaraj said in a series of tweets that she had taken a "humanitarian view" and conveyed to the British High Commissioner that they should examine Modi's request as per their rules and "if the British government chooses to give travel documents to Lalit Modi  – that will not spoil our bilateral relations".

She has been strongly supported from the government and the BJP which rejected opposition demands for her resignation over alleged "impropriety".