Sonia Gandhi's remark about Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj being an expert in theatrics, was a below the belt blow by her. Nobody has any doubt about Sushma’s credibility and the responsibility she takes as a Union Minister.  BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said it was unfortunate that people who can't speak in parliament are making statements about Ms Swaraj.

Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said: "We demand resignations of Sushma Swaraj and the chief ministers of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, only then we'll debate and discuss."

Sushma Swaraj said in the parliament that, "The allegations against me are wrong, untrue and baseless. I have never recommended or requested the British government to provide travel documents for Lalit Modi.” she had admitted that she had told the British High Commissioner that "if the British government chooses to give travel documents to Lalit Modi that will not spoil our bilateral relations”.

"Sometime in July 2014, Lalit Modi spoke to me that his wife was suffering from Cancer and her surgery was fixed for August 4 in Portugal. He told me that he had to be present in the hospital to sign the consent papers. He informed me that he had applied for travel documents in London and the UK Government was prepared to give him the travel documents. However, they were restrained by a UPA Government communication that this will spoil Indo-UK relations.Taking a humanitarian view, I conveyed to the British High Commissioner that: "British Government should examine the request of Lalit Modi as per British rules and regulations. If the British Government chooses to give travel documents to Lalit Modi that will not spoil our bilateral relations. Keith Vaz also spoke to me and I told him precisely what I told the British High Commissioner.”

"This move of the Congress only reflects their arrogance and their intention to create disorder. They don't want the house to function and this is very unfortunate. They only want to stall the parliament," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

BJP used the dynasty stick to hit back at Rahul Gandhi over his charge that Sushma Swaraj's family received money from the former IPL boss Lalit Modi, stating people from "common families" have to earn their living and the Gandhi family may be an "exception".

"People in this country know that a woman coming from a normal family has to toil hard to make space for herself in the society and its economy. It is generally seen that children of such women also work hard. Congress may have an exception in the Gandhi family where they don't have to sweat it out in the sun to earn their livelihood. I completely reject their charges (against Swaraj)," HRD Minister Smriti Irani said.

"As a woman I want to ask this. The Speaker is the honour of Parliament. Is this the value Rahul Gandhi wants to give to Congress?" she said. "Such a statement is disrespect to the people's mandate.... Congress party especially Rahul Gandhi should not work to reduce Parliament's respect," she told.

By Premji