PM mum, tells Rajnath, Jaitley to answer queries
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have the last word on the Lalit Modi row but he preferred to remain mum. Not a word, even on his Twitter handle he otherwise uses to comment on all kinds of developments. Instead, he fielded Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday to defend External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj under attack for helping Lalit Modi secure the British travel documents.
Jaitley, who did most of the talking at a joint press conference with Rajnath Singh, dropped enough hints that they were conveying the PM’s views, stressing that Swaraj’s acts were “good” and “bonafide” and there should be no doubts that the government and the party (BJP) are one in backing her completely. He also asserted that all charges against her are “baseless.”
On the Congress charge that she would not have acted without the knowledge of the prime minister who practically runs the foreign ministry, Jaitley said: “Our ministers are capable of taking stand alone decisions concerning their ministries. We all are collectively responsible for the decision taken by any of the ministers.”
He also seized the opportunity to save their skin from the charge of protection levelled by senior Congress leader Anand Sharma earlier in the day to cricket administrator and former IPL chief Lalit Modi, asserting that the Enforcement Directorate was pursuing all cases against him. He said the Enforcement Directorate is handling several cases against him in its quasi-judicial function and it has already issued notices to Lalit Modi in 15 of the 16 cases while one case is under investigation.
Jaitley went on to point out that the government has not withdrawn any case against the former IPL chief since coming to power. There were no blue corner notices that are issued by the Interpol, but the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence did issue a light blue corner notice in 2010 against him on the recommendation of the enforcement directorate and “it is valid even today.”
He, however, evaded question on the government not challenging Delhi High Court revoking seizure of Lalit Modi’s passport, stressing that it is for the passport authority to decide. The authority, however, is not independent and so the decision rests with Swaraj as the concerned cabinet minister.
Jaitley preferred to smile away the charge tweeted by former cricketer-turned BJP member Kirti Azad that it was a conspiracy against Swaraj by an “asteen ka saanp” and an insider job. Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh referred to Azad’s tweet and wanted to know why Jaitley was silent on the indirect reflection on him.
It’s common knowledge in cricketing circles that Jaitley has no affection for Lalit Modi. In the war between Modi and N Srinivasan, Jaitley stood behind the latter. Like Lalit , Jaitley is also a cricket administrator, presiding over the Delhi District Cricket Association for umpteen years. Lalit had shown his hatred towards Jaitley in the Lok Sabha elections, posting several tweets on how Jaitley would lose to former Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh of Congress.
While Jaitley may try to avoid any conflict with Azad, the latter tried to put him in spot, asking for his opinion on what he thought of probing those who had approved the holding of IPL tournament in South Africa in 2009.
He twitted: “‘@LalitKModi being probed by #ED. Who were d members of #BCCI #EC who approved #IPL IN #SA, Shd they 2 not be probed? What say @arunjaitley.”
