Former union minister Natwar Singh
In a continuing war of words over his controversial claims about the Gandhis in his new book, ex-Congressman Natwar Singh has rejected charges by his former party of being bitter about his dismissal from the UPA government over allegations of corruption.
(Also Read: 'Will Write My Own Book': Sonia Gandhi Responds to Natwar Singh's Comments)The 83-year-old was forced to quit as External Affairs Minister in 2005 in the wake of the Volcker report which named his son, among several others globally, who allegedly paid kickbacks to the Saddam Hussain government to buy Iraqi oil. The report probed irregularities in the United Nations Oil-for-Food programme in Iraq, which was under sanctions imposed by the UN, to sell enough oil to pay for food and other essentials.
"Congress party is also mentioned in the Volcker report as a non-contractual beneficiary... Singhvi has conveniently forgotten this," Mr Singh said today.
He was responding to Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who a day earlier, said, "We can understand Mr Natwar Singh's pique and the underlying antagonism which is the subtext of this proposed book... On October 27, 2005, a report with no connection to India or the Congress party or the government that Shri Natwar Singh's family, I am quoting now, "were non-contractual, corrupt beneficiaries of the oil-for-food programme."
The Congress has been stinging in its criticism of Mr Singh, who in his latest book,
One Life to Love, has made an array of charges against party chief Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and even ex-prime minister Manmohan Singh.
(Opinion: Natwar's 'Revelations' On Sonia Are a Damp Squib)"Private conversations should not be misused for capital gains," Dr Singh had said, referencing Mr Singh's claims in the book.
(Don't Exploit Private Talks: Manmohan Singh on Natwar Singh's Sonia "Expose")
"Didn't expect a balanced person like Manmohan Singh to make such a remark that I am doing publicity gimmick... Knowing him as I do, he's doing this to please Sonia Gandhi," the former minister said.