Cong writes to UN over Volcker report

"I am not authorised to speak anything on the issue (Singh's continuance)", party General Secretary Ambika Soni told reporters on Monday when asked whether it was proper for Singh to continue in office and in line with political morality.

She said the Congress had sent a letter on Sunday to the UN Secretary General requesting him to make available to it all relevant materials and documents on the basis of which adverse references have been made against the party in the Volcker Committee report on Iraqi oil pay-offs in the oil-for- food programme.

Soni rejected suggestions the party was distancing itself from Natwar Singh who had also been named as a beneficiary in the report.

"He (Singh) is a member of the Congress Working Committee and a senior leader of the party. He has put forward his case very forcefully and we have no reason to disbelieve him".

Making it clear that it was not interested in Natwar Singh's head, CPI-M yesterday hailed the appointment of a Judicial Commission and a special envoy to go into the findings of the Volcker Committee report naming the External Affairs Minister and Congress as beneficiaries in Iraqi oil pay-offs.