PATNA: Bharatiya Janata Party vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday demanded a categorical statement from the Congress on the Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh's claims of having seen External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh's name among the recipients of favours under the Oil-For Food programme during Saddam Hussein's reign in Iraq.

`One-line denial not sufficient'

Talking to reporters here, Mr. Naidu said a mere one-line denial would not suffice as Mr. Singh's claims in a section of the Press only corroborated the Volcker report. "There is no need to say much. But a one-line denial was not sufficient. It has to be a detailed and categorical statement. The country's image and prestige were involved in the issue."

Mr. Naidu however, was evasive regarding reports that the State unit chief of the BJP Sushil Kumar Modi had a telephonic talk with the Supreme Court judge handling the fodder scam cases, Justice S.N. Variava, about six weeks ago saying that the two sides had issued denials.

Mr. Naidu took the plea that all sorts of techniques were being used to defame the BJP and those discharging their responsibilities.

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