Agencies/Post News Network
New Delhi, August 12: The Lok Sabha witnessed a semblance of normalcy Wednesday as the government agreed for a discussion on the Lalit Modi controversy, but soon devolved into an extended session of verbal sparring between the government and the Opposition, with each trading charges against the other.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj however in a spirited
fightback Wednesday tore into the Congress, saying it had helped Bofors accused Ottavio Quattrocchi and Bhopal gas leak accused Warren Anderson flee India by roping in Rajiv Gandhi.
Swaraj specifically responded to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s charge that she had got money to help Lalit Modi by telling him to ask his “momma” as to “how much money had been taken from Quattrocchi” and “why did daddy (Rajiv Gandhi) release the killer of 15,000 people (in Bhopal gas leak),” in an apparent reference to Anderson.
Swaraj, who has been battling demands for her resignation over alleged ‘quid pro quo’ in relation to Lalit Modi, said, “this is called quid pro quo… Rahul should ask (his mother), why they did the quid pro quo” with regard to Quattrocchi and Anderson.
Sonia Gandhi was seen listening to Swaraj’s speech in rapt attention using headphones.
Swaraj also targeted former Union Minister P Chidambaram, saying he had failed to bring back Lalit Modi from the United Kingdom as he did not try for his extradition as suggested by the host government and confined his requests to deportation.
“For four years, you (Congress government) did nothing. You remained inactive. There was no effort for extradition. You are asking me how he (Lalit Modi) got right of residency (in UK). He got it during your time. Whatever happened, it was during your tenure,” she told the Congress.
Swaraj said it was only after Arun Jaitley took over as finance minister that things started moving on bringing back the former IPL boss.
