Senior journalist Barkha Dutt on NDTV stated that an independent handwriting expert told a reporter of the channel that there was a signature match with an older affidavit of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and a recent document backing Lalit Modi’s immigration plea with UK authorities in 2011.
The revelation comes in the wake of sharp jabs from the Congress which today said the party should ask Raje to step down as it no longer can “continue to defend the indefensible”.
The Congress said that her continuance as Rajasthan Chief Minister has become untenable in the light of recent events.
I don’t think it is possible for anyone to put up that lame an argument... And, if she had to deny the signatures, she should have done it perhaps in the beginning. She knows that the signature is hers and she has never denied it. So, I don’t think at this late stage to come out and say they are forged or falsified. that’s really something that nobody is going to buy. And I hope BJP will also not buy that argument.
– Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan Congress Chief
Pilot said the BJP is not clearly defending the Rajasthan Chief Minister and is simply buying time.
Unfortunately for them (BJP), they have to realise the inescapable truth is that she has broken the law. She has transgressed Indian law knowingly and the flying statement which shows that she was trying to help Lalit Modi get travel documents is in violation of Indian law and by no account can the BJP continue to defend the indefensible.
– Sachin Pilot
Pilot also said that no amount of BJP support could help Raje at this juncture, and made a strong pitch for her resignation.
I am of the opinion that after what has now been made public, there is absolutely no scope left, no face left for BJP to manoeuvre and defend its leadership. 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 BJP to ask the chief minister to put in her papers as soon as possible.
– Sachin Pilot
(With Inputs from PTI)