Why is PM hesitating in taking action on 'Lalitgate' issue? asks Congress

New Delhi: Congress on Thursday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "hesitance" in taking action against BJP leaders on the 'Lalitgate' issue and slammed Home Minister Rajnath Singh for his remarks that no NDA ministers will resign.

The party also released two documents -- Lalit Modi's purportedly signed affidavit to UK border agency and the Witness Statement of Vasundhara Raje, which, it claimed, bears her signature as it fielded a number of spokespersons to take on the government scaling up its charge of Raje backing Lalit Modi's immigration application in UK.

The party made it clear that it will seek to rally around other Opposition parties on the issue, when the Monsoon session convenes on July 21 to corner the Modi government.

Asserting that so far no BJP leader has questioned the validity of these documents, Rajasthan PCC chief Sachin Pilot said that the BJP does not have much time to buy on the issue and demanded that the Prime Minister and his party must come clean on it and threatened to launch a statewide agitation if Raje does not resign.

"BJP does not take even five minutes in firing Home Secretary, Finance Secretary and External Affairs Secretary on any issue but they are not taking action against BJP leaders even as they are accepting their role. This shows the double standards of BJP. They believe in one set of principles for others, and another for their own leaders.

"Why is the Prime Minister shying away from making any comment on it? What is the cause for this silence. Why the BJP is refraining from taking any action? Why is the Prime Minister hesitating in taking any action," he told reporters at the AICC briefing.

Alleging that the BJP is in "complete denial mode", he asked BJP and Modi to have the courage of conviction when allegations against their own leaders have come in public domain. Pilot claimed that Congress President Sonia Gandhi was able to maintain the faith of people in rule of law and Congress ministers resigned even when there was a hint of allegation.

Terming Rajnath Singh's statement that no minister accused will resign as it is an NDA and not UPA government, as an "insult to democracy", party spokesperson Anand Sharma said it deserves strong condemnation.