‘Never requested UK for papers to Lalit Modi’: Sushma Swaraj speaks, Congress asks how could she

Sushma said she had never “requested” or made a “recommendation” to British authorities to provide travel documents to Lalit Modi, her first statement in the House since the monsoon session began.

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Zero hour began with the Congress’s Anand Sharma demanding the PM declare the action taken against ministers embroiled in controversy. Deputy chairman P J Kurien said the PM cannot respond unless a discussion, as demanded, gets started. Seizing the opportunity, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said, “If Anand Sharma does not want to start, the external affairs minister will make a statement right now.”

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Swaraj got up and she had been ready for a discussion for day one. “I want to say that the facts on the basis of which the notice (for suspension of rules) has been given is totally baseless… I have never requested British authorities for travel documents of Lalit Modi. I have never made any recommendation… but everyday this allegations is made. I am ready for a discussion.”

The Opposition demanded how she could give a statement without the chair’s permission, leading to an adjournment.

Later, Congress MPs demanded the statement be expunged. Jaitley then said: “I agree… so in that vein I demand that whatever has been said in this House for the last two weeks against the minister without the permission of the chair be also expunged.”

Madhusudan Mistry raised a point of order that despite Swaraj speaking without notice, it was being played up in the media  and this is a breach of privilege. Kurien interpreted the point of order as a question about whether Swaraj’s intervention was actually a statement or merely a response to the allegations made against her and ruled in favour of the latter.