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Indian Foreign Minister resigns over Iraq report
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-08 09:00
CONGRESS DEMANDS EVIDENCE
The government has launched two inquiries into the findings of the Volcker
report.
Singh, who has been under pressure from the opposition to quit, was not
immediately available for comment on Monday.
The 119-year-old Congress, bristling after its naming in the report, has
written to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, asking for sources of evidence
relating to it.
"The Congress Party wishes to unequivocally and categorically state that it
had not authorised any company or firm or individual to represent or act on
behalf of the Congress Party in any oil-for-food contract," the letter by the
party said.
Asked about India's case last week, Volcker said he could not immediately
recall details but the basic records came from Iraq and were generally accurate.
Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh waits to
greet President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus in New Delhi, November
7, 2005.[Reuters] | "In some cases we simply
listed information we had, some of it from Iraqi records," Volcker told The
Conference Board business group. "Very generally when we have had the capability
of validating the Iraqi records, they have been accurate."
However, he said his commission was not able to delve into every bribe or
kickback or company listed.
Seizing on the Volcker report, the opposition BJP and its allies wrote to
President Abdul Kalam on Monday demanding Singh's removal from the federal
cabinet.
"He has embarrassed the government. By continuing as minister without
portfolio he has earned himself a price for silence," Arun Jaitley, BJP
spokesman, said on NDTV television.
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