'Toh maine gunah kiya hain': Sushma Swaraj's most epic lines in her dramatic defense in Lalit Modi row

Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj is known to have a flair for drama. Add to that her impressive oratory skills and vocabulary, and it means that when she is talking it’s difficult to ignore her. So on Thursday she to finally had the opportunity to defend herself in the Lalit Modi row that has been dogging her for weeks, her speech was forceful and dramatic. In crisp and lucid Hindi, she calmly laid out her points, read from media articles and documents and reiterated that she has done no wrong. She cited her ‘stars’ as the reason for her misfortune, quoted couplets from the ‘Ram Charitra Manas’ and ended with a impassioned plea about accepting any punishment the House has to offer for her crime of helping someone’. One also couldn’t help but be reminded of the countless Hindi films and TV shows we have seen where the protagonists make similar passionate speeches when faced with travesty. Don’t believe us? Have a look at the most dramatic Sushma Swaraj quotes from her speech defending her role in the Lalit Modi row. When she proclaimed ’toh maine gunah kiya hain’ (then I have committed a crime)  Translation: If helping a woman in this (undergoing cancer treatment) situation is a crime, then yes I have committed a crime. (Referring to Lalit Modi’s wife, who she has been suffering from cancer for the past 17 years which has relapsed for the 10th time and needed her husband by her side for a life-threatening treatment) When she was ready to accept punishment   Translation: I admit my crime and I am ready to accept any punishment that the House will give me. When she questioned WWSD (What would Sonia do?)  Translation: If Sonia (Gandhi) was in my position, what would she have done, would she have left her (Lalit Modi’s wife) to die? When she spoke about the injustice meted out to her  Translation: If the (Parliament) Session ends and the allegations go unanswered and I don’t even get a chance to present my side of the story, then it will be great injustice to me. When she spoke about her crossed stars  Translation: Surely my stars must be in a wrong place may be that’s why my companions, who are so fond of me and respect me, are talking such nasty things about me. Watch the full video here