The Hindu : National : Congress did not know of Jagat's visit, says Mathrani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 09, 2005

National

National

Congress did not know of Jagat's visit, says Mathrani

"The news was treated with great surprise and indignation" "There was a sense of disbelief in the party when the Volcker controversy broke out in October-November"

New Delhi: The Congress leadership was not aware of the presence of Jagat Singh [Natwar Singh's son] and his friend Andaleeb Sehgal in Baghdad when a four-member party delegation led by him [Natwar Singh] visited Iraq in January 2001 and the news was received with "indignation" when it came to light, Aneil Mathrani, a member of the group, said here on Thursday.

"There was a sense of disbelief in the party when the Volcker controversy broke out in October-November," said Mr. Mathrani, whose claim that Mr. Natwar Singh received oil vouchers from the Saddam Hussein regime led to his resignation.

The fact that Mr. Jagat Singh and Mr. Sehgal were present in Baghdad at the same time as the visiting Congress delegation was not known to the party, he said.

"Clearly it was not known to the party leadership before and was treated with a great sense of surprise and indignation," Mr. Mathrani, a former Secretary of the Congress Affairs Cell and a close aide of Mr. Natwar Singh, told PTI at his residence here.

Mr. Mathrani, India's Ambassador to Croatia [since recalled], said he was called by the Congress leadership after the Volcker findings were made public in October-November and asked for a clarification as he was the only member of the delegation in Delhi. He informed the Congress about the itinerary and the meetings that took place during the delegation's visit to Iraq.

He refused to name the Congress leaders he met after the Volker report was published. Asked about differing statements given by P. Shiv Shankar and A.R. Antulay, the other members of the Congress delegation to Iraq, he said, "That is not my problem. I have said what I had to say."

Asked whether he was aware of any financial transactions for the alleged oil payoffs, he replied in the negative.

Mr. Mathrani parried a query about whether Mr. Natwar Singh was more powerful as a Congress leader during the National Democratic Alliance regime than as a Union Minister during the United Progressive Alliance regime.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National