New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS): The Congress on Wednesday demanded a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Lalit Modi row, saying it was not ready to hear External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj "again and again" as she herself was involved in the case.
"Only the prime minister can reply as the minister ... involved in this ... If she replies, then it is not an solution," Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said in the Lok Sabha during a debate.
"The way the foreign minister supported the fugitive, if we want to talk about this, we need the prime minister to speak. Only he can take action.
"He has the right to appoint ministers. If the minister against whom there are allegations keeps giving replies... She has already spoken once.
"We want the prime minister to speak and take action," Kharge added.
The Congress leader also took a dig at Modi. "He (prime minister) only wants to speak on radio or television. Call him... He should put forward his views on the matter."
Earlier, when he opened he debate, Kharge said the anxiety shown by the government in holding a debate on Wednesday, if shown earlier, would have saved a lot of trouble.
"If anybody is responsible for the situation (in parliament), then it is the government and the prime minister.
"I appeal to you that during this debate, the PM should be present in the the house," he added.
The discussion is being held under an adjournment motion as demanded by the Congress.
My husband not Lalit Modi's lawyer in passport case: Sushma
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said her husband Swaraj Kaushal was not the lawyer for former IPL chief Lalit Modi in his passport case and she was not at fault in the issuance of travel documents to him by the British government.
"I am saying again today that there is no mistake by me," she said while participating in a debate in the Lok Sabha on an adjournment motion on the Lalit Modi issue.
The minister said the British government had conveyed that Lalit Modi was given travel documents according to appropriate rules.
Sushma Swaraj said her daughter Bansuri was a junior lawyer in Lalit Modi's passport case but received no money.
"She was a junior at ninth number in the appearance list. She appeared with her senior. Not a single rupee was taken (by her)," Sushma Swaraj said, amid continuous slogan-shouting by Congress members.
She rejected the Congress allegations of a quid pro quo with Lalit Modi.
Sushma Swaraj, who earlier spoke in the house, reiterated she did not help Lalit Modi but his wife who was to undergo a medical procedure for cancer treatment in Portugal.
The minister hit out at the Congress over its allegations on her conflict of interest.
She said when P. Chidambaram was finance minister in the United Progressive Alliance government, his wife Nalini Chidambaram was appointed a lawyer by the income tax department.
She said when an AIADMK member brought this to the notice of parliament, Chidambaram said he had no knowledge of the department's decision.
Sushma Swaraj also cited other instances of alleged conflict of interest by Congress leaders.
The Congress is demanding the resignation of Sushma Swaraj over her alleged help to former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi, who is facing investigation by the Enforcement Directorate.
Not received summons, never met Rahul: Lalit Modi
Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi said he has not received any Enforcement Directorate summons and described as "hogwash" charges of misappropriating money.
In an interview to India Today TV, Modi also denied having met Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra - in a U-turn from his tweets in early July where he alleged that Rahul Gandhi and his brother-in-law Robert Vadra were beneficiaries during his tenure as IPL commissioner.
Modi told India Today channel that the controversy "is only a bigger circus around me now".
"There are no charges against me as I have received no summons till date. I was told that the summons were sent through email but I have not received them till today," he said, referring to reports that the ED is seeking an Interpol Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him.
Modi faces charges of money laundering against him in connection with the Indian Premier League, the annual cricket tournament.
"The charges that I have taken money from World Sport Group (WSG) is hogwash. It was a deal between Sony and WSG, I had nothing to do with it. They find a non-issue to target me," he said.
"I've also got a letter from Interpol that no Red Corner Notice will be issued against me and I'll be allowed to present my case," he added.
Modi also termed the charges against him as politically motivated.
"The fact that the parliament has been stalled for the past 20 days shows that this issue is politically motivated."
Asked if he had met Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, as he alleged in his tweets, Modi said: "I have never said that I met Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka."
Asked why he can't come to India and represent himself at the courts, Modi said: "My life has been under threat from the underworld. I don't want to take a chance with my security."
The monsoon session of parliament has been stalled over Modi's alleged links with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.