JOIN USWith her name figuring in 'Lalit Modigate' row, embattled Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today called up BJP President Amit Shah and explained her position after former IPL Chairman Lalit Modi claimed she had supported his immigration plea in Britain.
Sources said Raje discussed with Shah the claims made by Lalit Modi and told the party chief that she did share family ties with the former IPL boss but there is no wrongdoing on her part.
Party sources said Raje has sought to explain her ties between the two families and her friendship with Modi's wife but the documents being circulated in the media are "unverified and unsigned".
Sources said that Raje is in close touch with the party ever since documents suggesting that Raje had helped scam-tainted Modi's imigration in the UK by giving a written statement.
She has however, maintained that she has no knowledge of the documents being shown by the media.
Raje had distanced herself from the document purportedly showing her backing former IPL chief's immigration plea in Britain.
"Of course I know the family. I have always known them...(But) I do not know what documents they are talking about," she has said.
Congress has meanwhile demanded her imediate resignation along with that of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, saying they have no right to continue in office after helping the former IPC Chairman facing money laundering and other charges.
BJP chief Amit Shah, besides Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley have already come out in support of Swaraj, saying she has only acted out of 'humanitarian' reasons to help Modi with his travel documents to take care of his ailing wife.
Stepping up its offensive on 'Lalitgate', Congress demanded the immediate sacking of Swaraj and Raje and questioned the "conspiratorial silence" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The party also announced plans for an agitation in Rajasthan from tomorrow demanding resignation of Raje, holding her and Swaraj guilty of "gross Constitutional impropriety and blatant misuse of office".
Party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters that the BJP leadership, "instead of defending the indefensible" needed to sack both of them without delay.
Swaraj and Raje are guilty of "violation" of various penal codes of CrPc, Surjewala claimed adding that the party would follow all options in the case. He was asked whether the party would take legal recourse.
"There is a clear-cut culpability on part of Swaraj and Raje under sections 107, 120-b, 166A, 172,173,177,217 of the Indian Penal Code. Raje also needs to be prima facie investigated for offences under Prevension of Corruption Act", he said.
Targetting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that the PM has "a conspiratorial silence, which can only come from a person who is guilty himself or who has something to hide".
In Chennai, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram rejected allegations of vendetta levelled against him and the UPA and demanded that the government should ensure that Lalit Modi returns to India to face the probe by Enforcement Directorate on various charges, including money laundering.
He said Swaraj's action in helping Lalit Modi get travel documents from the UK was in violation of rules and a case of favouritism shown to someone she knew.
He also demanded as to who decided not to appeal against the Delhi High Court decision to restore the passport of Modi last year as normally a reversing decision is always challenged in a higher court.
The Congress leader wanted the government to release the letters exchanged between him as Finance Minister and the Chancellor of Exchequer George Osborne in which he had urged for sending Modi back to India since he was facing criminal charges here.