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<ul><li>Senior BJP leader and former Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, passed away on Tuesday (August 6) after a fatal heart attack at the age of 67.</li><li>Swaraj, a firebrand Hindu nationalist in her younger years, changed the face of foreign ministry and was dubbed India's 'supermom' by the Washington Post.</li><li>She will be remembered for breaking the gender-based glass ceiling more than once long before women empowerment became a buzzword in Indian politics.</li></ul>Senior BJP leader and former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj passed away on Tuesday (August 6) at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS). The BJP veteran reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 67. Born on Valentine's Day in 1953, she earned bachelor's degree with majors in Political Science and Sanskrit from the Punjab University. Her father Hardev Sharma was a long-time member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Hindu nationalist organisation and the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Advocate by profession, Swaraj remained in the saffron fold all her life. Until a few months before her demise, she was the country's Minister of External Affairs-- one of two women to hold that office till date -- where her active involvement and quick responses on social media not only helped many in distress but also earned her the tag of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/indias-foreign-minister-is-cast-as-supermom--to-125-billion-compatriots/2016/08/14/ff9889f9-96aa-4ddc-b1b0-42f8f79fe20f_story.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">India's 'supermom'</a>. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="VikasSwarup" handlename="Vikas Swarup" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/835911885518061568/Wgnnx_sv_normal.jpg" favoritecount="360" retweetcount="121" status="Stunned to hear that @SushmaSwaraj is no more. I had the privilege of working with her very closely. She touched mi… https://t.co/aGoSthmMJ5" createdat="1565114453000" id="1158800124459585536"></div>













 She holds many records like being the youngest cabinet minister at the age of 25, the first female spokesperson for a national political party, as well as the Spanish government's <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/swaraj-accepts-spain-s-top-civic-award-during-visit-119021900938_1.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Grand Cross of Order of Civil Merit</a> in recognition of India's support in evacuating its citizens from Nepal after the 2015 earthquake. A key character in history By the 1970s, the young Swaraj was a firebrand youth politician rallying as part of the revolutionary movement led by the Gandhian stalwart Jayprakash Narayan against the Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. She became a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament, in 1990 and the first lady to be Delhi's Chief Minister in 1998-- the stint, however, lasted only 3 months. She had the trust of former Prime Minister, the late Atal Behari Vajpayee, and held key portfolios including information and broadcasting, telecommunications as well as health and family welfare. Under Narendra Modi's leadership, she held the foreign ministry until 2019 when she decided to retire from contesting elections. 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="Youtube" id="lviT78WtYig" title="FULL SPEECH: EAM Sushma Swaraj's address at United Nations General Assembly" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lviT78WtYig/mqdefault.jpg"></div>













 Taking a Gandhi head on Swaraj never shied away from challenges whether it was outside her party or within. She famously took on the mighty <a href="https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2019/04/12/The-Nehru-Gandhi-safe-seats-When-Sonia-Sushma-crossed-swords-in-Ballari.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Sonia Gandhi head on in Bellary</a>, considered to be a 'safe seat'' for the Gandhi family, in 1999. Swaraj lost the election but that was the beginning of a fierce rivalry between the two ladies, one that left an indelible story in Indian politics. Swaraj in the image of an 'ideal Indian woman' took the fight to Sonia Gandhi calling her the 'foreigner' triggering a debate that ended with Gandhi choosing not to become the Prime Minister despite having won the election. Swaraj had lost the election but her rhetoric had won. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="RahulGandhi" handlename="Rahul Gandhi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/974851878860312582/O-Zn2b72_normal.jpg" favoritecount="16251" retweetcount="3023" status="I’m shocked to hear about the demise of Sushma Swaraj Ji, an extraordinary political leader, a gifted orator &amp; an e… https://t.co/smO1haZJ4r" createdat="1565115719000" id="1158805433294868481"></div>













 In 2004, Congress lost the seat in Bellary, for the first time in over 50 years, as the local satraps, the infamous Reddy brothers accused of illegal mining, decided to back the BJP. 
 Opposition to Modi as Prime Minister The brilliant orator also <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/dont-declare-narendra-modi-as-pm-immediately-sushma-swaraj/articleshow/22350151.cms?from=mdr" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">crossed swords with none other than Narendra Modi</a> before the 2014 election. She stood with the old guards of the BJP in stalling Modi's candidature for the post of the Prime Minister. While a political truce was struck between the two sides within the party, and Swaraj was made the foreign minister, <a href="https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/external-affairs-and-the-armchair/291881" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">her role was cut to size</a> soon after the government took over. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="Narendra Modi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1134082549041393672/QbihPzrL_normal.png" favoritecount="55644" retweetcount="13969" status="Sushma Ji’s demise is a personal loss. She will be remembered fondly for everything that she’s done for India. My t… https://t.co/EA0y0huas8" createdat="1565114991000" id="1158802378998419457"></div>













 However, Modi and his long-term aide, the former spy Ajit Doval, drove the country's foreign policy, Swaraj deftly redefined her role to stay relevant, and more prominent, in people's minds. The Other Modi What made matters worse for Swaraj were her and her family's <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/sushma-swaraj-amit-shah-lalit-modi-external-affairs-minister-bjp-257521-2015-06-15" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">ties with Lalit Modi</a>, the controversial businessman who built the billion dollar Indian Premier League and was later indicted for money laundering, embezzlement, and breaking rules while living a lavish lifestyle. Swaraj, whose daughter was Lalit Modi's legal counsel, was accused of helping him flee the country in 2014. Eventually, <a href="https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/1/4024/The-Reason-Why-PM-Modi-and-the-RSS-Decided-to-Support-Sushma-Swaraj" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">there was peace between the two camps</a> within the BJP and Swaraj came out of the controversy with minimal scars. She spent the remaining years in her office as foreign minister connecting with people via Twitter. Her affectionate and sensitive responses to Indians in distress in other countries, during times of hostility or a natural disaster, earned her the love and likes from millions of people. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="SushmaSwaraj" handlename="Sushma Swaraj" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/959220898417950720/Ij9WNV0g_normal.jpg" favoritecount="35193" retweetcount="13749" status="Even if you are stuck on the Mars, Indian Embassy there will help you. https://t.co/Smg1oXKZXD" createdat="1496891814000" id="872653636849082368"></div>













 This was her last tweet. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="SushmaSwaraj" handlename="Sushma Swaraj" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/959220898417950720/Ij9WNV0g_normal.jpg" favoritecount="138751" retweetcount="34010" status="प्रधान मंत्री जी - आपका हार्दिक अभिनन्दन. मैं अपने जीवन में इस दिन को देखने की प्रतीक्षा कर रही थी. @narendramodi… https://t.co/ZoP1vYYETM" createdat="1565099604000" id="1158737840752037889"></div>













 Irrespective of whether one agrees with her politics, Swaraj will be remembered for breaking the glass ceiling more than once long before women empowerment became a buzzword in Indian politics. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/rip-vg-siddharthas-death-and-why-former-prime-minister-hd-deve-gowda-cried/articleshow/70464431.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">A former Prime Minister cried on national TV for VG Siddhartha-- the untold tales of politics and privilege may die with India’s coffee baron</a>

India's 'supermom' Sushma Swaraj, the lady who redefined the country's Foreign Ministry, is no more

<keyword id="6358821" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Shiv-Sena">Shiv Sena</keyword> has claimed that Sushma Swaraj is being victimized in a "political game" to distance her from BJP, and PM Narendra Modi should order a probe to investigate who is interested in "maligning" Swaraj’s "clean" reputation. 
 
The Sena has essentially expressed its support for the External Affairs Minister in the controversy over allegedly helping former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi escape to Britain. 
 
"The Congress party is behaving as if Swaraj has helped get bail to arrested fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim or Kasab. This controversy is being fuelled by using a section of the media. It is vital for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order an investigation on who is so keen on maligning her clean reputation of 35-40 years," the Sena said in Saamana. 
 
"Covering Swaraj in a mist of controversy and questions seems to be a huge political game being played to oust her from the BJP and from national politics," it has professed. 
 
It warned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi also stands the risk of being targeted and harassed with such controversies. The piece noted that Home Minister Rajnath Singh's son and Nitin Gadkari have also been tactfully targeted. 
 
"An Indian has been helped on humanitarian grounds. Why so much fuss over it? The Congress has become lifeless now and thus its flutter also does not mean much. But the question is who is trying to give flight to these fluttering wings," the Sena said. 
 
"If somebody is attacking the External Affairs Ministry to weaken it and thereby trying to demoralise the Modi government, the person is ultimately causing harm to the country. This a very big political game that needs to be ended by PM Modi," it concludes. 
 
(Image credit: Indiatimes)

Shiv Sena wants
Modi to expose truth behind Sushma Swaraj controversy

It seems the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Congress">Congress party</a> is in no mood to let the parliament function as it continued its protest against suspension of 25 of its MPs for third consecutive day. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=sumitra+mahajan">Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan</a> had suspended 25 Congress MPs for “wilfully obstructing the business of the House.” 
 
Wearing black bands on their sleeves, Congress party members, including its enigmatic president <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=sonia+gandhi">Sonia Gandhi</a> and her son Rahul Gandhi, has been protesting ever since near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at the Parliament complex. 
 
Today, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=rahul+gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</a> said the voice of the opposition is "being suppressed in Parliament.” 
 
The Congress members continued to criticise <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Narendra+Modi">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> for his inaction against the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=sushma+swaraj">External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj</a> and BJP chief ministers Vasundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan for their involvement in the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Lalit+Modi">Lalit Modi controversy</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Vyapam">Vyapam recruitment scam</a>. 
 
Slogan shouting members said they would continue their protest against the suspension of their colleagues. 
 
Meanwhile, Janata Dal-United and Rashtriya Janata Dal leaders also joined Congress in the protest and urged the Lok Sabha speaker to revoke the suspension of the Congress MPs.

Congress protest enters third day, Rahul Gandhi says opposition’s voice is being suppressed

Congress today demanded a Supreme Court monitored SIT probe into the ‘Modigate scandal’. 
 
The party said that since the ‘senior leadership’ in the Modi government was "in cahoots" with the former IPL chief Lalit Modi, an independent inquiry was required to reveal it’s dark underbelly. 
 "There has been nexus of the senior leadership of the government (with former <keyword id="1793640" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="IPL-boss-Lalit-Modi">IPL boss Lalit Modi</keyword>) who have been in cahoots in cricket management or mismanagement. An independent inquiry by a Supreme Court-monitored SIT is necessary," Congress spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters. 
 
Sharma demanded an exhaustive probe into the case, and not limiting it to the UK travel documents. 
 
Alleging "Lalit Modi is personally known to the highest in the BJP", he said that Modi was also connected to the Gujarat Cricket Association when he was the state's Chief Minister. 
 
"The ruling party is involved. Those in the government cannot be trusted. It has to be done by a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team", he said. 
 
Sharma also said Modi should speak up on a case like this as "what has happened is scandalous". 
 
He also criticized Home Minister Rajnath Singh considering Swaraj a "humanitarian". 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Congress demands SC observed SIT investigation into
'Modigate'

As many as 13 bills were passed amidst chaos that persisted till the last day of the winter session <keyword id="6355187" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword>. The opposition Congress created uproar over various issues, including certain allegations against <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="42575" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arun-Jaitley">Arun Jaitley</keyword> in connections with DDCA affairs. The 20-day session, adjourned sine die, was considerably much productive as compared to the last Monsoon session which was a virtual washout due to the ruckus caused by the opposition which had been pressing for ouster of External Affairs Minister <keyword id="6355111" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sushma-Swaraj">Sushma Swaraj</keyword>, Rajasthan Chief Minister <keyword id="6361795" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vasundhara-Raje">Vasundhara Raje</keyword> and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over various allegations. Speaker <keyword id="6354934" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sumitra-Mahajan">Sumitra Mahajan</keyword> twice threatened to take action against the Congress members who were disrupting the House by asking officials to note down their names. 

	In the last session, she had suspended as many as 25 of the 44 Congress members for their unrelenting disruptions.
 

	This session saw the rare action of the Speaker expunging her own controversial "vested interests" remarks made about Congress members yesterday.
 

	In her valedictory remarks, Mahajan said, "I hope this coming year brings new hope and new energy in our lives and we reflect with resolve that in the New Year we will take conscious decision while using all Parliamentary instruments to forcefully register our dissent and disagreement, if any, and will attempt to ensure less disruptions."

	 
	 
	(Image credits: indiatimes)

Winter session of Lok Sabha ends with as many as 13 bills passed amidst chaos

As politicians are openly making a Peepli Live moment out of the unfortunate lynching incident in Dadri, the pertinent question to ask is why the Prime Minister of our country silent on the matter. 
 As we all know, a man was lynched for allegedly eating beef on <keyword id="30760" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="eid">Eid</keyword>. Then there was a riot-like situation because the relatives of the deceased were not allowed to be a part of the funeral procession. As if this was not enough, our politicians went on to use the incident to fan communal passion. 
 
But that’s not even the point. The point is, since when did India become such a regressive country? We thought we are democratic and it’s disturbing to see the silence of our Prime Minister when the fundamental rights of a common man are being brutally violated in front of his eyes. 
 
Frustrated as we may feel, this is not the first time India has felt disappointed by Modi’s silence on matters where he should have taken a stand for the sake of preserving the fundamental rights of different communities. 
 
Here are 5 such instances when we saw him become a mute spectator and watch our democratic rights get compromised: 
 
Attack on innocent seers in Varanasi 
 
Sadhus and their supporters were taking out a procession for Lord Ganesha's idol immersion in Varanasi when they were suddenly lathicharged by cops. It’s a ritual followed by seers for decades. And, there was no law and order problem in the area. Where then was the need to lathicharge them. 
 
Seers were denied their right to worship the way they wanted, but Modi remained silent. 
 
Vyapam scam and Lalitgate controversy 
 “Neither will I catch the corrupt, nor will I allow others to do it,” Modi had said after becoming the Prime Minister. When the time came and two mega scams involving two of his Chief Ministers – <keyword id="6355111" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sushma-Swaraj">Sushma Swaraj</keyword> and Shivraj Singh – came to the fore, his double speak was exposed. He failed to initiate action against them despite evidences. 
 
Thousands of Vyapam victims were denied their right to justice, but Modi remained silent. 
 
Attack on Christian places of worship 
 
Five churches were attacked in two and a half months and holy relics and holy communion were destroyed. As Christian men, women, elderly, priests matched towards Home Minister’s house as a mark of protest, they were picked up by cops and forced into buses. They wanted security. 
 
They wanted their right to live freely in a secular country and not be discriminated against, but Modi watched on, silently. 
 
Forced conversion row also called ‘<keyword id="6464685" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="ghar-wapsi">Ghar Wapsi</keyword>’ 
 
It’s one thing to not like another religion and it’s another thing to forcibly convert someone to another religion. Both are condemnable in a democratic country like ours. Hindutva hotheads backed, by the VHP and the RSS (Modi's alma mater), went on to convert poor non-Hindus to Hinduism. 
 
People wanted their right to observe the religion of their choice, but again, Modi maintained silence. 
 
Beef ban controversy 
 
Meat lovers in Maharashtra were left heart-broken when Maharashtra's BJP government backed by the NDA at the Centre brought a ban on slaughtering of cows, bulls and buffaloes. Bizarre as it seemed, all limits of religious intolerance were crossed when a 50-year-old man Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched and his son Danish (22) was brutally beaten up as punishment for allegedly eating beef on Eid and 'storing it' for later consumption. 
 
Only two days back, 6 students of a leading government-aided college in Thrissur, Kerala were suspended for conducting a ‘beef festival’ inside the campus to protest against the lynching of Akhlaq. 
 
Amid all of this, Modi is still silent. 
 
If not for the sake of preserving our rights, you should at least talk tough on such issues for safeguarding your own image, Mr Modi, otherwise it looks like you approve of such heinous crimes. Whatever happened to your poll promise of carrying 125 crore Indians together with 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, we wonder. 
 
(Image credit: indiatimes)

5 times PM Modi’s silence has left our democratic rights compromised

The fight between scam vs sham has hit the roof. The most ambitious ‘<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/How-Modi-Government-Used-India-Economic-Summit-To-Showcase-Its-Reforms-Agenda/articleshow/45146210.cms">reforms</a>’ agenda as promised by Modi government looks like a rose tinted picture of a land that does not exist anywhere yet. Reason, the country’s opposition has been continuing to block the government from functioning, by way of stalling the parliament—something and the same thing that BJP did for years when former PM Manmohan Singh government was in control of the country’s fate. 
 <keyword id="6354721" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="parliament">Parliament</keyword>’s monsoon session is heading towards a complete ‘washout’ if the terms are to be used precisely. It has been more than two weeks since the government decided to bring some crucial bills to be tabled, and the opposition is holding the government to ransom over things that have ranged from <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Apologise-to-Sushma-Swaraj-or-face-defamation-suit-Gadkari-warns-Rahul-Gandhi/articleshow/48201128.cms">Sushma Swaraj</a> and Vasundhara Raje’s efforts to get the ‘fugitive’ Lalit Modi a visa to travel abroad. This was just the tip of the iceberg. What followed was the suspension of 25 <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> MPs by the speaker and all hell has broken loose. 
 The logjam in the parliament has almost put a huge spoke into government’s plans of furthering the <keyword id="6447217" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="reforms">reforms</keyword> agenda, a year later it assumed office. In the meantime, the most controversial bill of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Land-BillVictory-for-the-time-being/articleshow/48357574.cms">land acquisition</a>, and the legislation relating to tax reforms have been in a quandary. 
 
While the government has completely done a U turn on land acquisition bill, there is more to come in the future. The bill that was amended by the BJP government with nine points that had landed it in the soup, has now returned to the original draft as prepared by the Congress led UPA II. 
 
This has not gone down well with the corporate sector which was waiting for its share of acche din, as promised by Modi to the corporates who were keen on setting up businesses in India. Even the in-house ones, are viewing this U turn as a major setback to their plans of expanding businesses. 
 
With respect to both the bills, there is a delay and hence the dilution in the content. This is worrisome for the corporate sector since any dilution in the bills is bound to cost them time, resources and enormous amounts of financial investment to make things work. 
 
The land bill that could have made it easier for the government to acquire lands and give it away for industrial and development purposes, is now a fairy tale that has been laid to rest. The amateurishness of the government in this is showing, and how! Much to the dismay of the people who vested their faith in it, Modi’s government is somehow crumbling the cookie. 
 
The government which enjoys the majority of only 31% people who voted it to power, did not pay attention to the fact that it had to take opposition into confidence to make things work. Analysts say this is costing the government very dear, in terms of agendas and bills being stalled and sessions in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/India-to-boycott-Commonwealth-Parliamentary-Union-meeting-in-Islamabad-next-month-Lok-Sabha-Speaker/articleshow/48393808.cms">parliament</a> being disrupted. 
 
The monsoon session is turning the government into a desperate situation where the political impasse is hurting very badly. The promise of restoring momentum seems like a far cry, what with the government not treading the right path with the reforms agenda. 
 
The opposition too, is referring the disruption back to BJP where the latter did the same with UPA II. The chickens have come home to roost and it is hurting the overall image of the government very badly. Opposition says this was something they learnt from the party that is in power now. Having said that, Congress’ ways and means of disrupting the session aren’t well appreciated either. Doing it for the heck of it, may not be the right way to echo people’s emotions. 
 
For its side, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/RaGa-hibernates-Congress-waits/articleshow/46783239.cms">Congress</a> felt people need to have a say in land acquisition process and hence, they took the fight to the streets and were greeted with great enthusiasm. This was the comeback moment for the party that suffered a serious drubbing last year. 
 
But, disrupting the parliament over issues that have no serious political implications is doing injustice to the people of India. For the monsoon session, though the BJP had also come prepared with some serious allegations against states where Congress was in power, the session has turned into a huge blame game that sees no respite at the end of it. 
 
People who voted for acche din, weren’t staggering numbers. The beauty of democracy is unraveling in the parliament. And this is not presenting a pretty picture at all. 
 
Some concrete steps have to be initiated to break the impasse and get the monsoon session to deliver some goods to the people of this nation. After all, people cannot move from non-functionality to the days when nothing gets done because of corruption or ulterior motives. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Monsoon
session: ‘Washout’ is hurting

Proceedings of the Rajya Sabha were disrupted on the first day of the Monsoon session which began on Tuesday, with Opposition <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> demanding the resignation of External Affairs Minister <keyword id="6355111" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Sushma-Swaraj">Sushma Swaraj</keyword> over the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Congress-steps-up-ante-against-PM-Modi-Sushma-Swaraj-over-Lalit-Modi-row/articleshow/47721666.cms">Lalit Modi</a> controversy and the BJP accusing it of "running away" from a debate on it, reported PTI. 
 
Congress members forced three adjournments in the pre-lunch session making both Question Hour and Zero Hour a casualty. However, Leader of the House, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Finance-Minister-Arun-Jaitley-presents-one-year-report-card-of-his-ministry/articleshow/47382842.cms">Arun Jaitley</a> offered to resolve the matter by saying that Swaraj could make a statement on the issue. 
 
Jaitley said: "Please start a discussion immediately. You don't want a discussion.... You don't have to press your case for a discussion. I am making an offer and would suggest ... if they want to start a discussion, then start it immediately. If they want a statement from the External Affairs Minister, we are ready for it. Sushma Swaraj will make a statement within five minutes." 
 However, Congress members continued to disrupt the proceedings of the House. Chairman <keyword id="6491214" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Hamid-Ansari">Hamid Ansari</keyword> urged them to allow the Question Hour to function. Ansari later adjourned the House till 2 p.m. 
 
As soon as the House assembled in the morning, Congress members were on their feet targetting the NDA government on the matter and raising questions over its "probity". 
 
They reminded the ruling dispensation of the assurances given by Prime Minister <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Shiv-Sena-wantsModi-to-expose-truth-behind-Sushma-Swaraj-controversy/articleshow/47691317.cms">Narendra Modi</a> to ensure transparency and accountability in governance. 
 Raising the matter soon after the obituary references, Congress leader <keyword id="6409376" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Anand-Sharma">Anand Sharma</keyword> demanded a reply from PM. 
 He asked why the External Affairs Minister requested the British government to issue travel documents to <keyword id="3257" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Lalit-Modi">Lalit Modi</keyword> within in two and half months of NDA coming to power. 
 
Sharma also raised the issue of affidavit signed by Rajasthan Chief Minister <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/In-Modis-India-Green-Shoots-Of-Reforms-Come-From-Rajasthan/articleshow/45267736.cms">Vasundhara Raje</a> favouring Lalit Modi. 
 
"The PM had assured to ensure transparecy, accountability in governance and acting against those indulging in corrupt practices... Where is the probity left? You have violated the dignity," he said. 
 
Amid objections from the treasury benches to his remarks, Congress members trooped into the Well of the House and raising slogans for her removal. 
 Sharma also questioned the "humanitarian grounds" on which Britain was requested to issue the travel documents to Lalit Modi, alleging that the former <keyword id="6354312" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="IPL">IPL</keyword> chief was travelling around the world as if "on a pleasure trip and as a tourist". 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Day 1 of monsoon session: Rajya Sabha proceedings disrupted over Lalit Modi issue

Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> has left for his yet another business trip, forging relations with our fellow BRICS members and the rest of the world in Ufa, but back home, it is dreary picture for his government. After celebrating the first anniversary of NaMo government with much pomp and show, the government’s can of worms is slowly opening up. 
 After the infamous Lalitgate incident, wherein party’s senior leaders, Rajasthan’s chief minister Vasundhara Raje, and Minister of External Affairs, <keyword id="6355111" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sushma-Swaraj">Sushma Swaraj</keyword> are involved of favouring ill-famed <keyword id="3257" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lalit-Modi">Lalit Modi</keyword>, the multi-crore <keyword id="1983715" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vyapam-scam">Vyapam scam</keyword> is threatening to blow the lids off for the <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> government. 
 
The 45 unexplained deaths in Vyapam scam, one after the other, just like a movie plot, has left us stunned. But what is more disappointingly shocking for all of us is the unsettling silence of our otherwise outspoken Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But it is déjà vu for us? 
 
If you ask anyone what they remember best about the previous UPA government, they may say that it is the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s eternal silence on every scam that was done right under his nose. And it seems, this is being replicated by the successive government as well. 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had his ‘Mann ki baat’ with the aam aadmi in the country on June 28. And while he spoke at length on diverse topics and encouraged people to click #SelfieWithDaughter as a part of his ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign, he has maintained a contentious silence on the spree of murders in Madhya Pradesh’s Vyapam scam and the Lalit Modi controversy that is clearly denting the government’s image. 
 
Well, if one recalls, it was the BJP and its then Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, who vociferously and categorically criticized former PM Manmohan Singh for his inability to speak against the complete anarchy in his government. 
 
On the last day of the National Council meeting ahead of the General Elections last year, Narendra Modi had labelled Manmohan Singh as ‘night watchman’. An overwhelming 2000 plus crowd cheered him as he went on with his digs at the 70 year old the then Prime Minister Singh. 
 “The <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> has appointed Manmohan Singh as a night watchman…He is nothing but a puppet in the hands of the Gandhi family,” he said as the crowd went hysteric. Fast forward to June 2015, one can see a similar silence is being maintained by our superstar Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this raging controversy. 
 
PM Modi, who is quite social on Twitter, has maintained an unsettling silence there as well. Really Mr. Modi? Do you have nothing to say on the controversies that involve party’s veterans. 
 
Obviously his reticence on the controversies has not gone unnoticed. Hawk-eyed Congress has literally jumped on the opportunity to question his silence over his government’s involvement in corruption. After all, PM Modi had blown the trumpet against corruption when he said, “BJP is for a mission, Congress is for commission.” 
 
Well, his silence on recent controversy is anything but acceptable. In the Lalitgate case, the NaMo government was quick to brush aside the various documents produced by the media while its spokespersons were brazenly defending the ministers’ actions. On the other hand, the BJP government has assured of transparent investigation in the Vyapam scam, however, the string of murders has stated otherwise. No wonder, the Supreme Court had to intervene and direct the top investigating agency in India, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take charge of the scam. 
 
The Lalit Modi controversy has successfully questioned the government’s functioning in cases of corruption while Vyapam scam threatens to reveal many skeletons in the closet. It is certain that BJP’s honeymoon period is over and there is a growing voice within the party against the tainted leaders. But with PM Modi’s brazen silence on the matter, it remains to be seen if the public is forgiving enough for them to let him go off the hook! 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes.com

It’s not the era of golden silence PM Modi! Speak up before it is
too late

Opposition Congress party hit out at Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> over his "silence" on the <keyword id="2899690" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lalit-Modi-row">Lalit Modi row</keyword> and demanded an answer saying he should come clean on the case. 
 The Congress party said the Prime Minister should come out of his 'meditation' to answer if External Affairs Minister <keyword id="6355111" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sushma-Swaraj">Sushma Swaraj</keyword> and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje helped scam-tainted former IPL chief <keyword id="3257" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lalit-Modi">Lalit Modi</keyword> with his consent. 
 
The party also demanded resignation of Swaraj and Raje and claimed that BJP veteran leader LK Advani too had expressed no confidence in the leadership of the Prime Minister. 
 
"Advaniji, has obviously said he is not sure about the leadership. He has expressed no confidence in the leadership of the Prime Minister. The ball is in the court of the Prime Minister," said Congress party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan. 
 
He was referring to Advani's remarks on the possibility of a repeat of Emergency that he "doesn't have faith in today's political leadership due to its weaknesses". 
 
Vadakkan said that the Prime Minister must answer whether the Chief Minister acted the way she did with his consent. 
“Whether the External Affairs Minister did what she did with his consent? Are there other people involved, the Prime Minister must come clean. He must come out of his political Vipassana,” he said 
 
Swaraj has been at the centre of the controversy for helping Lalit Modi in getting British travel documents, while Raje is accused of pushing for his immigration plea. 
 
Reportedly, Raje's son has business associations with Lalit Modi and Congress demanded an investigation in the same matter. 
"Chhota (Lalit) Modi used to run Rajasthan. This is a reality. If Chhota Modi was running Rajasthan and now the Bada (Narendra) Modi is at the Centre, it is time that the nation should know what are the realities today," he added. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Congress steps up ante against PM Modi, Sushma Swaraj over Lalit Modi row

Assuming the depth of the case and its reverberation in media, External Affairs Minister, <keyword id="6355111" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sushma-Swaraj">Sushma Swaraj</keyword> had offered to resign almost a week back, as per the sources of IANS. The controversy that broke out recently , involving Swaraj to help the former IPL commissioner <keyword id="3257" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lalit-Modi">Lalit Modi</keyword> in getting the travel documents on "humanitarian ground". 
 
However, Swaraj’s resignation was rejected on the intervention of the RSS. 
 
They said at the meeting Sushma Swaraj clarified her stand on the issue and said she was ready to resign as she did not want the government to face any embarrassment. But RSS functionaries stopped her, saying she has done nothing wrong, the sources told the IANS. 
 
The RSS functionaries also said that Sushma Swaraj had made it clear in her communication that any help rendered by the British authorities to Lalit Modi should be subject to their rules. 
 
According to sources, the meeting chalked out strategy to defend Sushma Swaraj. 
 As part of the strategy, <keyword id="58687" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> president <keyword id="6355521" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amit-Shah">Amit Shah</keyword>, <keyword id="6000" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-Minister">Home Minister</keyword> Rajnath Singh and <keyword id="158192" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="RSS-leader">RSS leader</keyword> Indresh Kumar came out in support of Sushma Swaraj on Sunday. 
 
The controversy, which first appeared in a British newspaper, went on to dominate Indian news channels from Sunday. 
 (Image: <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword>)

​Sushma Swaraj knew what she’s doing and offered resignation a week back

In the wake of scathing attacks by the opposition parties over <keyword id="142957" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lalit-Modi-controversy">Lalit Modi controversy</keyword>, Finance Minister <keyword id="42575" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arun-Jaitley">Arun Jaitley</keyword> said the government has done nothing wrong and will play by the rulebook. 
 
Speaking to news agency PTI, Jaitley added there is "no question at all" about the government going on the back foot on this issue. 
 
"The government will play by the rule book and we will make sure that the absolute standards of probity are maintained," Jaitley told PTI. 
 
He also rejected any impression that few leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the government were siding with corrupt people. "There is no question at all,” he said. 
 
Meanwhile, the opposition parties are planning to disrupt the Monsoon Session of Parliament on the Lalit Modi issue. However, Jaitley said Parliament was meant to discuss and not to disrupt business. 
 
"We are willing to have a discussion on any subject that the Opposition wants," he told the news agency. 
 
The Monsoon Session will begin on July 21. 
 <keyword id="5263" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="External-Affairs-Minister">External Affairs Minister</keyword> Sushma Swaraj and <keyword id="206726" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajasthan-Chief-Minister">Rajasthan Chief Minister</keyword> Vasundhara Raje have been facing ire for allegedly helping former IPL Commissioner Lalit 
 
Modi in procuring travel documents in the UK, a country which he has made his home to avoid legal processes in India. 
 
Raje’s son Dushyant Singh has also come under light over reports that his company received Rs 11.63 crore in investments from Modi in 2008. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Jaitley rules out going on back foot on Lalit Modi issue, defends government

The Parliament has turned into a Ram Leela Maidan these days. The opposition parties are getting adamant on their demands. With Congress sticking to a fool-proof investigation on the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Allyou-should-know-about-Vyapam-Scam-in-10-points/articleshow/47975285.cms">Vyapam scam</a> in Madhya Pradesh, the House has to be adjourned for almost two hours. Speaker <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Its-not-the-era-of-golden-silence-PM-Modi-Speak-up-before-it-istoo-late/articleshow/48018074.cms">Sumitra Mahajan had warned several</a> of them of action if they did not stop displaying placards. 
 
According to a news report by the PTI, during the Question Hour, over 30 members of the Congress trooped in to the Well, raising slogans and holding placards demanding resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and the Chief Ministers of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh over the Lalit Modi and Vyapam issues. 
 
Members from SP, RJD and JD(U) too were in the Well with placards demanding that caste census data be made public, while some TRS members, also holding placards in the aisles, sought a separate High Court for Telangana. 
 
Congress Vice President <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Twitterati-celebrates-VishwaPappuDiwas-as-Rahul-Gandhi-turns-45/articleshow/47732727.cms">Rahul Gandh</a>i was thumping the desk as his party members continued sloganeering in the Well. 
 
As repeated pleas from the Speaker to the agitating members to put down their placards went unheeded, she named several of them, including Gaurav Gogoi, Sushmita Dev, Deepender Hooda, K C Venugopal and Rajiv Satav, and later warned them of action. 
 
Opposition members, especially from the Congress, have been protesting against the government over Lalit Modi controversy and Vyapam scam since the Monsoon Session began last month, says the PTI report. 
 
When the House met for the Question Hour at noon, Congress members were up on their feet raising demand for the resignation of Swaraj and two other chief ministers. 
 
Some of them also demanded the resignation of HRD Minister Smriti Irani on the row over her educational qualifications. Irani was present in the House at that time. 
 
Soon after Chairman Hamid Ansari announced that he was taking up the Question Hour, Madhusudan Mistry (Cong) got up to raise a point of order questioning how Swaraj could make a statement without giving any notice, and sought its expunction from the records. However, he was not allowed to speak any further. 
 
Jharna Das Baidya (CPI-M) got up to ask a question to the HRD Minister and she got up to table the answer. However, Baidya could not ask a supplementary question in the din.

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