Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Saturday defended party vice-president Rahul Gandhi's attack on External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, saying that it was a very simple and straightforward question and the latter should tell the truth to the nation.
"Rahul Gandhi asked a question which was very straightforward in accordance with the Indian Penal Code that how much money did Sushma's husband or her daughter get as fee from Lalit Modi. Sushma ji has always been very active on Twitter and is always vocal when the need arises. But why has she kept mum over the past 24 hours?" Tiwari told ANI.
"She should answer the question whether her family received any money from Lalit Modi as fee or as directorship because any cash or kind received for doing any sort of favour comes under bribe, according to the definition," he added.
Rahul Gandhi had yesterday launched a blistering attack on the External Affairs Minister over her emotional clarification in the Lok Sabha, asking her to tell the nation exactly how much money she received from Lalit Modi so that he stays out of jail.
"Whenever there is a robbery, a financial transaction takes place. There has been a financial transfer here as well. Sushma ji's family has received money from Lalit Modi. She should tell the nation exactly how much money Lalit Modi has paid her family to keep himself out of jail," said Rahul.
Swaraj had eralier insisted that she had made "no request or recommendation" to the UK Government for Lalit Modi's travel documents but had left the decision to Britain.
She also said that she had not helped Lalit Modi, but his cancer-stricken wife.