JAIPUR, July 10:
Sticking to the demand for the sacking of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje over ‘Lalitgate’, Rajasthan Congress today submitted a memorandum to Governor Kalyan Singh charging that her position has become “untenable” in view of the controversy.
“We have today given the governor a letter asking him to remove Chief Minister Raje from the post as her position is untenable,” state Congress chief Sachin Pilot said after coming out of Raj Bhawan, where he had led a delegation of about 20 senior party leaders.
“The honourable governor has received our letter and we hope he would ensure action as per our demand,” he added.
Pilot said that while Raje was the Leader of Opposition during Congress regime, she had given an affidavit in court in support of an former IPL boss Lalit Modi, who is alleged to have violated rules of ED, FERA and FEMA.
“We have given a written petition to the Governor seeking the immediate sacking of the chief minister as she has committed various offences and impropriety with regard to her official dealings,” Pilot, meanwehile, said.
Claiming that Raje had, as an MLA, given a written affidavit in support of someone who had violated Indian law, he said that “to help, support and submit the affidavit in the foreign court for someone who has transgressed Indian laws… we believe that it is criminality”.
“I believe the Rajasthan CM should have resigned by now because constitutionally, legally, and morally, she cannot change her position,” he said.
Raje should quit to “pave the way for a transparent inquiry for getting to the bottom of all matters coming in the public domain everyday like alleged malpractices, financial irregularities, etc. And her help for obtaining Modi’s travel document”, added Pilot.
Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan, Rameshwar Dudi, Congress MLAs, and the party’s office bearers accompanied Pilot.
Pilot said that Congress, which is agitating over the issue across the state, has requested the governor to intervene in the matter to make sure she (Raje) is removed forthwith from the post of Chief Minister.
The delegation spent over 15 minutes with the governor over a cup of tea, said Govind Singh Dotasar, who had accompanied the state Congress leaders to Raj Bhawan.
Raje came under fire after Lalit Modi’s lawyers last month released an set of unsigned papers which they claimed were a secret witness document by Raje favouring his immigration pleas in a London court.
As per the documents, Raje wanted to appear as a witness on condition that Indian authorities were not told about it.
Also under attack was the chief minister’s son, Dushyant Singh, after reports emerged that his company allegedly received Rs 11.63 crore in investments from Lalit Modi in 2008.
Congress had also attacked Raje this week citing media reports that Lalit Modi’s name was recommended for a Padma award during her previous tenure in 2007.
Meanwhile, asked about an RSS-led agitation over temple razing in Jaipur, Pilot said that the agenda today was to appeal to the Governor for Raje’s sacking. (PTI)
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