Jaipur: There seems to be end to trouble for Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje over her links with former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi. Details have emerged which showed that Raje had recommended Modi's name for Padma Award in 2007 during her tenure as the chief minister.
In its recommendation, the state government cited Modi's vast business empire and his contributions in development of cricket in the state as a ground for the award.
The letter recommending Modi's name for the prestigious award was sent through Rajasthan Sports Council on July 28, 2007. Modi's name was sent along with archer Limba Ram's. However neither of them got the award then.
Former secretary of Rajasthan Cricket Association Subhash Joshi who had sent a filled up form for Modi at that time has defended the decision saying the controversies over Lalit Modi came up later.
Raje has been under fire for helping Modi to get the United Kingdom stay permit as well as over business links with the disgraced cricket czar.
Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "Since there is a Central and state government in power of the same political colour they are liberal to revive their proposal to give Padma Award. Why should they not do it?"
Not suprised by the recommendation, Janata Dal United leader Taariq Anwar said, "We could easily imagine that Vasundhara Raje had close relation with Lalit Modi. It is established that the BJP and Vasundhara Raje have been close to Lalit Modi at some point, so I am not surprised by this recommendation. It's unravelling slowly and people re realising only now."
Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the controversy, CPI-M leader D Raja said, "The Prime Minister has not said a word yet on Lalit Modi row. Now Modi recommended for Padma Bhushan is coming to public domain. What is the stand of BJP?"
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