As the controversy linking Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and former IPl Commissioner lalit Modi continued to boil, the former has purportedly “admitted” that she may have signed a document to back lalit Modi’s application for the resident status in the UK, but she asserted that the paper signed was “not an affidavit.”
The “explanation” is understood to have been given to the Central BJP leadership when the latter asked her to clarify her stand on the document released by the Congress showing her signature on an affidavit in favour of lalit Modi.
The document, purportedly signed by Raje in 2011, and filed by Modi’s immigration attorney with the UK authorities endorsed Modi’s claim that he faced political persecution in India.
Raje is learned to have said the document was signed only at one page while an affidavit carries signature on all the pages and “hence it is not an affidavit”. Chief Minister’s office in the State Capital has accused the media of running “false” news about Raje to tarnish her image and cause “political damage”.
Earlier in June, when lalit Modi’s lawyers released a document claiming that Raje backed Modi’s immigration plea in 2011 on the condition of anonymity, the Chief Minister had claimed that she had not signed any statement.
According to sources, in her explanation to the party the Chief Minister said she did not exactly remember the document which she signed backing the former IPl chief who she had known for a long time. Raje clarified herself on the controversy to the Central leadership on Thursday and Friday morning.
Asked about the purported clarification by Raje, BJP president Amit Shah on Friday (after attending a function here on 40 years of Emergency) refused to comment on the issue.
BJP’s newly appointed vice-president and former Rajasthan BJP president Om Prakash Mathur and party joint general secretary Saudan Singh are camping at Jaipur to facilitate communication between the State and Central leadership.
Meanwhile, sharpening its attack on the BJP after the emergence of the signed document, the Congress told the BJP to ask the Chief Minister to step down as it can no longer “continue to defend the indefensible”.
“There cannot be two laws in this country. One for common citizens and one for high-ranking BJP officials. Therefore, I think it is in the best interest of the State and also of the BJP to ask the Chief Minister to put in her papers as soon as possible,” Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said.