Congress protests outside Sushma's house

The Aam Aadmi Party yesterday dragged the Prime Minister's Office into the raging row over External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj extending help to scam-tainted former IPL chief Lalit Modi alleging that "PMO may have been in the loop".

The opposition yesterday turned up the heat on the Centre and Sushma Swaraj over her "assistance" to Lalit Modi in obtaining British travel documents. The Congress staged a protest outside the Minister's house, demanding her resignation.

Bringing Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the line of fire, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said that "achhe din" appeared to have arrived for those accused in criminal cases——from Amit Shah, to Ramdev, to Lalit Modi. "ACHHE DIN for all accused of murder false encounter money laundering FEMA from Amit Shah to Ramdev to Lalit Modi. PM silent. ???? ????????", the Congress General Secretary said in a series of tweets.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yesterday accused the Centre of adopting double standard and questioned its commitment to rule of law going by the manner in which the NDA government, BJP and RSS have put up a united face to defend External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the Lalit Modi controversy.

"Going by manner in which the NDA government, BJP and RSS have closed ranks to defend Swaraj, it is clear that the BJP has a double standard in enforcement of rule of law against those people it likes and those it does not,"he told reporters on the sidelines of Janata Durbar at the Chief Minister's official residence.

However, the Shiv Sena yesterday came out in support of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is embroiled in a row over her "assistance" to Lalit Modi, and accused opposition of conspiring to destabilise the Narendra Modi government.

Earlier in the day, Congress National Spokesperson PL Punia said: "There are circumstances which establish contact between Sushma Swaraj and Lalit Modi. As a quid pro quo, Sushma Swaraj has done favour to a tainted person who is accused of Rs 700 crore money laundering, tax evasion and several other charges."