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| Privilege motion not against Manmohan: Natwar | | | NEW DELHI, AUG 7
Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh today said the notice of breach of privilege motion moved by him in Rajya Sabha was against the institution of Prime Minister and not against Manmohan Singh.
"The privilege notice is against the Prime Minister of India, which is an office, an institution. There is nothing personal against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," the Congress leader told reporters here.
Natwar Singh, who has been indicted by the R S Pathak Inquiry Authority for his role in the Iraqi oil-for-food scam, asserted that alongwith the Congress Party he should also have been given a clean chit in the matter.
Singh said he was not upset with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and added he would not say anything against Congress President Sonia Gandhi or against the party.
"It is a question of propriety. There was only one copy of the Pathak report and within minutes it was all over the press," he said.
Asked whether Gandhi had introduced him to the Saddam Hussain regime, he said: "it is not true".
Reacting to queries on whether he stands by his decision to move a privilege notice against the Prime Minister, Singh said the fate of the notice would now be decided by Rajya Sabha chairman.
"It is now for the chairman to decide. If he allows me to speak, I will speak... I will abide by his decision," he said.
Asked whether he had introduced Andaleeb Sehgal to the Saddam Hussain regime, he said there was nothing wrong in it and added that the then Petroleum Minister Ram Naik had also introduced many companies to the Iraqi government.
When asked whether he accepted the Pathak Inquiry Authority report giving a clean chit to Congress Party while at the same time indicting him in the Iraqi oil scam, Natwar Singh replied in the negative.
"Like Congress, I should also have been given a clean chit," he said.
On the issue of introduction of Indian companies to foreign authorities, he claimed "129 Indian firms had been introduced by (former BJP minister) Ram Naik... Is there anything wrong in that.
"Our amabassadors also do this job and so do ministers. Recently (US President George) Bush had come and wanted India to buy Boeing aircraft. (French President Jacques) Chirac wanted to sell Airbus planes...(British Prime Minister Tony) Blair had told us to buy tanks," he added.
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