Sushma Swaraj – The Next Political Scapegoat
From the Editor’s Desk: There was a time when firebrand leader Sushma Swaraj was considered as the top contender to become the Prime Minister of India and had acceptability among other political parties too. However, the Modi Wave or Modi Tsunami changed the course of Indian politics as well as that of BJP. Veteran leaders like LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were sidelined, but Sushma still held the fort and was handed over the External Affairs portfolio. But, today, she is facing the toughest time of her career.
TIMES Now Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, who is considered for his pro-BJP stand and has a soft corner towards PM Narendra Modi, has launched a tirade against Sushma Swaraj over a hacked email, which suggested that the External Affairs Minister helped former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi to get his travel documents from the UK Government so that he could attend the surgery of his wife in Portugal. The incident occurred in July-August 2014, but came to light a year later. Deliberate attempt to make Sushma Swaraj a political scapegoat? Very likely!!!
Ironically, the charge against Sushma Swaraj is being led by Arnab Goswami, who along with other top News Channels, had invited Lalit Modi as a key Panelist while attacking former BCCI President N Srinivasan. Now, he is calling Lalit Modi a ‘Fraudster’ and comparing him to Dawood Ibrahim, while seeking Sushma Swaraj’s resignation. Why the media backed Lalit Modi’s statements against Srinivasan and had him as a Panelist, if they believed that he was a criminal? Obviously, they won’t answer.
In India, we can issue medical visa to separatist leader Yasin Malik, we can help a traitor like Syed Ali Shah Geelani to avail all kinds of treatment and medication in top hospitals of Delhi even though he launches anti-India campaigns and call himself non-Indian. We can allow convicted prisoner Sanjay Dutt to get frequent parole, thanks to his celebrity status. But, we raise a hue and cry over Lalit Modi getting permission to travel from UK (not India) to Portugal to attend his wife’s surgery.
There is nothing wrong, if Sushma Swaraj had granted the permission on humanitarian ground (she admitted so). She did not allow him to escape from India. Lalit Modi had left India long ago in 2010 when the UPA Government was in power. There was no red corner notice against Lalit Modi. Only a blue corner notice was issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in 2010. However, if Sushma had favoured Lalit Modi for some personal gains and if his wife’s surgery was a fake claim, then she cannot absolve herself of the responsibilities.
The BJP has definitely goes into a huddle. There is a pressure on the Prime Minister to take action against Sushma or launch a probe or issue a statement. Some reports say that it was an insider’s job to malign Sushma Swaraj to end her clout within the government and party forever. However, some others believe that it was an attempt by some vested interests to affect India’s foreign policy when the External Affairs Minister lands in a soup.