10-29-2005, 07:50 PM
<b>Oil-for-Food probe: Congress denies charges </b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Volcker committee inquiry appointed by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in 2004 also named External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh in the report. <!--emo&:o--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ohmy.gif' /><!--endemo-->
The Congress Party said the allegations are baseless as it was not in power when the Oil-for-Food Programme was operated. <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
.........
<b>BJP slams Cong</b>
<b>But the BJP is accusing the minister of having personally benefitted in the case.</b>
BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley demanded Natwar Singh's resignation and said that the Congress should give a statement on the issue.
"How can he (Natwar Singh) continue as India's Foreign Minister even for a day if the UN report mentions him as a non-contractual beneficiary for manipulated payment in UN Food-for-Oil programme.
"Every word he speaks will be suspect and his statements on Foreign Affairs will be suspect," said Jaitley.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Oil-for-Food Programme
In 2001, Iraq was awarded the Oil-for-Food Programme from the UN while it was still under sanctions. This was being done for humanitarian reasons.
The Volcker committee now says that <b>Saddam Hussein approached Natwar Singh and the Congress party to be involved in this programme</b>.
According to the report, <b>80 lakh barrels of oil was allotted to both Natwar Singh and the Congress party. The total amount claimed by both was approximately 30 lakh barrel.</b>
Against this, <b>the Congress and Singh were expected to provide humanitarian assistance through Indian industries worth for the same amount</b>.
The report alleges that in all Saddam Hussein sold oil worth US$ 64 billion internationally and got a US$ 1.8 billion kickback
More than 100 Indian companies including <b>Reliance </b>and individuals are also listed as having done business in this deal.
The list of Indian companies includes STC, Kirloskar Engines, Ajanta Pharma, Mohan Exports, L T Overseas Ltd, Jord Engineers, National Electrical Industry, Jain Irrigation Systems, Lucky Exports and Airpac Exports<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
How they did it? Is it through state they were in power? Why NDA failed to catch them?
The Congress Party said the allegations are baseless as it was not in power when the Oil-for-Food Programme was operated. <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> .........
<b>BJP slams Cong</b>
<b>But the BJP is accusing the minister of having personally benefitted in the case.</b>
BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley demanded Natwar Singh's resignation and said that the Congress should give a statement on the issue.
"How can he (Natwar Singh) continue as India's Foreign Minister even for a day if the UN report mentions him as a non-contractual beneficiary for manipulated payment in UN Food-for-Oil programme.
"Every word he speaks will be suspect and his statements on Foreign Affairs will be suspect," said Jaitley.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Oil-for-Food Programme
In 2001, Iraq was awarded the Oil-for-Food Programme from the UN while it was still under sanctions. This was being done for humanitarian reasons.
The Volcker committee now says that <b>Saddam Hussein approached Natwar Singh and the Congress party to be involved in this programme</b>.
According to the report, <b>80 lakh barrels of oil was allotted to both Natwar Singh and the Congress party. The total amount claimed by both was approximately 30 lakh barrel.</b>
Against this, <b>the Congress and Singh were expected to provide humanitarian assistance through Indian industries worth for the same amount</b>.
The report alleges that in all Saddam Hussein sold oil worth US$ 64 billion internationally and got a US$ 1.8 billion kickback
More than 100 Indian companies including <b>Reliance </b>and individuals are also listed as having done business in this deal.
The list of Indian companies includes STC, Kirloskar Engines, Ajanta Pharma, Mohan Exports, L T Overseas Ltd, Jord Engineers, National Electrical Industry, Jain Irrigation Systems, Lucky Exports and Airpac Exports<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
How they did it? Is it through state they were in power? Why NDA failed to catch them?