Swaraj, Raje should quit on moral grounds: Pilot

 

Jaipur, June 23  Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje should resign on moral grounds, state president of the Congress, Sachin Pilot said here on Tuesday.

"We as the Congress party are asking for the resignation of Rajasthan chief minister and the foreign minister on legal, ethical and moral grounds," Pilot said at a press conference.

The Congress is demanding their resignations over allegations of helping former IPL chief Lalit Modi.

"We believe the belated defence of the chief minister of Rajasthan is unacceptable as we believe that ministers in government of India are neither heads of investigative agency nor judges in the court of law.

"So before any conclusive investigation is conducted and finished, it is very surprising that ministers are giving a clean chit to the people who have been alleged in these violations of law," Pilot said.

He said the Indian government can verify documents relating to Raje within an hour.

"Resignation will clear the way for an impartial probe," he added.

Pilot said the Congress members will hit the streets in Jaipur on Wednesday to press for Raje's resignation and probe into the issue.

The party's Rajasthan unit on June 17 had passed a resolution at its executive meeting in Udaipur demanding Raje's ouster.

"The resignations have been demanded from both of them (Raje and Swaraj) for allegedly favouring Lalit Modi," Congress spokesperson Archana Sharma told IANS over phone.

On Monday, union Minister Nitin Gadkari backed Raje and dismissed charges against her of helping Modi by saying she was "completely right legally, logically and ethically".

"All allegations against Raje are baseless. These accusations have no substance," Gadkari had told reporters after meeting Raje at her official residence here.