Sushma Swaraj statement: Congress, BJP spar

NEW DELHI: Congress today locked horns with BJP over Sushma Swaraj's statement in the Lok Sabha on the Lalit Modi row, alleging that it was "punctured with many holes" and the ruling party asking it to raise these issues in Parliament which it has not allowed to function.

Dubbing the External Affairs Minister's statement as a "tearjerker", Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said it was an "apology of defence".

Contesting this, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the main opposition party could raise its objections in Parliament to which Swaraj will "definitely reply".

"Should not they (Congress) be inside the House to make their comments. They should raise this there and Sushma Swaraj will answer it," she told reporters.

Attacking Congress, she said it did not allow her to speak in the Rajya Sabha where she could barely speak for a few minuted before it was adjourned due to the uproar caused by its members.

Sharma had earlier told reporters, "You must have seen External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's tearjerker. What we saw was an apology of defence. It is a hogwash which is difficult to accept. It is punctured with multiple holes and is contradictory.

"The basic question is: should a minister clandestinely arrange, facilitate or make requests for travel documents to a fugitive, which were rejected by the British government earlier."