NEW DELHI -- Despite fresh revelations indicating Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje had indeed signed on the witness document in support of Lalit Modi's immigration plea to the UK authorities, finance minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said that Raje was not "tainted", indicating the party would still be supporting her.
The senior BJP leader, who was returning from the US after speaking with investors there, told journalists at the Delhi airport on Thursday evening, “Well, there is nobody who is tainted please” when asked about the growing chorus calling for Raje and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj's resignation following their involvement with Modi, who has been evading Indian authorities by staying abroad.
Other BJP ministers too have spoken out in strong support of Raje and Sushma, with M Venkaiah Naidu, saying that the Narendra Modi government was working in the “most honest and transparent” manner. He blamed some “unhappy people” for the anti-Raje sentiment among the opposition.
“As far as party is concerned everything is happening positively,” he said. Meanwhile party spokesperson Sambit Patra said: “What is the impropriety in the case of Raje? These are only some documents. Their authenticity is yet to be proved. Did she testify before any court and before a judge? Has the UK government said anything?”
(with PTI inputs)
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