Manmohan Singh meets Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders who walked to his house in a show of support
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and over 100 party leaders today walked in a large group to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence in a striking show of solidarity after a court summons to him in a coal scam case.
"He is known not just in India but throughout the world as a person of integrity and probity. We offer our unstinting support and are fully behind him. We shall fight this not only legally but with all our means at our command," Mrs Gandhi, expressing outrage, told reporters outside Dr Singh's home.
"We have no doubt whatsoever that he will be vindicated," she asserted.
Congress leaders gathered at the party headquarters next to Sonia Gandhi's residence before walking down the road to Manmohan Singh's home about half a kilometer away.
The former prime minister was seen beaming at his party colleagues. "I am more than pleased and we will fight this case to the best of our ability," Dr Singh told NDTV later, saying that he was "grateful that top leaders came to meet me."
Sources say Mrs Gandhi wanted to send out a loud and clear message in support of the 82-year-old, who led two successive Congress-led governments.
The Congress president has missed the last few days of Parliament because of viral fever and her silence was noticed on Wednesday, after a special CBI court summoned Manmohan Singh as an accused in a case linked to the illegal allocation of coal mining rights.
"I am upset, but this is a part of life. The truth will prevail," Dr Singh told reporters yesterday.
Many BJP leaders commented that Manmohan Singh, a noted economist credited with starting India's reforms process in the 1990s, was paying the price of his party's wrong-doings.
Though the Congress held a special briefing and top leaders came out strongly in Dr Singh's support, sources say Sonia Gandhi wanted to counter any impression that he is fighting a lone battle.
Her son Rahul Gandhi, the Congress vice president, is expected to return from his "leave of absence" later this month.