Indian Foreign Minister resigns over Iraq report
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-08 09:00

CONGRESS DEMANDS EVIDENCE

The government has launched two inquiries into the findings of the Volcker report.

Singh, who has been under pressure from the opposition to quit, was not immediately available for comment on Monday.

The 119-year-old Congress, bristling after its naming in the report, has written to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, asking for sources of evidence relating to it.

"The Congress Party wishes to unequivocally and categorically state that it had not authorised any company or firm or individual to represent or act on behalf of the Congress Party in any oil-for-food contract," the letter by the party said.

Asked about India's case last week, Volcker said he could not immediately recall details but the basic records came from Iraq and were generally accurate.

Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh waits to greet President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus in New Delhi, November 7, 2005.[Reuters]

"In some cases we simply listed information we had, some of it from Iraqi records," Volcker told The Conference Board business group. "Very generally when we have had the capability of validating the Iraqi records, they have been accurate."

However, he said his commission was not able to delve into every bribe or kickback or company listed.

Seizing on the Volcker report, the opposition BJP and its allies wrote to President Abdul Kalam on Monday demanding Singh's removal from the federal cabinet.

"He has embarrassed the government. By continuing as minister without portfolio he has earned himself a price for silence," Arun Jaitley, BJP spokesman, said on NDTV television.