NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday said it would go through the Justice Pathak Inquiry Authority report investigating the Iraqi oil-for-food scandal before taking a stand. The party criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party for casting aspersions on the probe panel.

Party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the course of action "could be decided after a close examination of the report when available." He said the Opposition was back to its "regrettable disruptive tactics" by stalling the proceeding in Parliament on the Volcker report.

"They [BJP] should start behaving more responsibly and more importantly, stop casting aspersions on institutions and on the high-level Commission of Inquiry by a former Chief Justice of India," Mr. Singhvi said.

The Congress was also keeping a close watch on the meetings the former External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, was having with leaders of other political parties, including those in the Opposition.

"No clarity"

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said there was no clarity on whether or not Mr. Singh received monetary benefits or committed any act that could be termed as corruption.

Mr. Yechury said the allegation against Mr. Singh, that he received money and was involved in the deal, could not be proved. As for the charge that he had misused his party position, Mr. Yechury said it was for the Congress to take a decision on any action.

On his part, Mr. Singh said he would reply to any questions asked by the party in connection with his indictment by the Inquiry authority. He questioned the clean chit given to the Congress in the matter. "How can aspersions be cast on me and the Congress be given a clean chit," he asked. He indicated he had more information on the oil-for-food scandal, which he would make public at an appropriate time.

All-India Forward Bloc general secretary Debabrata Biswas also wondered how Mr. Singh, who was then heading the Foreign Affairs Department of the All-India Congress Committee, could be indicted when nothing was found against the party that appointed him.

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