'Advise The Prime Minister To Drop Shri Natwar Singh'

To,
Hon'ble Rashtrapatiji,
Rashtrapati Bhawan,
New Delhi

His Excellency,

We, the members of the National Democratic Alliance, are constrained to approach your Excellency on a matter of great public importance. The Volcker Committee report made public on 27 October, 2005 has brought to the surface some extremely embarrassing facts about India. The Report suggests that among the non-contractual beneficiaries of the oil purchase contracts under the United Nation's "Oil for Food" programme were the Congress Party and Shri Natwar Singh, the Hon'ble External Affairs Minister in Government of India. These benefits pertain to the year 2001.

It is relevant to mention that during this period the United Nations had imposed sanctions against Iraq. Iraq had therefore to sell oil at the pre-fixed UN determined price. However, In order to solicit support for its cause and its opposition to the sanctions, Iraq started handing over oil coupons to friendly individuals and organisations world over. The sale of oil under these coupons was to have a surcharge and the amount of surcharge was to be credited back to individual bank accounts for the benefit ofthe then Iraqi Government. 

Amongst Indian entities to whom these oil coupons were issued were Shri Natwar Singh and the Congress Party. The purchase of oil under these contracts was done by a Swiss Company, Mesfield AG. It has further been prima facie established that against these contracts kick-backs were deposited in the Bank of Jordan by two Indian entities, namely, Hamdan Inc. and Shri A. Sehgal. Shri Sehgal is purportedly a family friend and a relative of Shri Natwar Singh's family. 

It is, thus, clear that in violation of the sanctions, oil purchases took place under contracts where profit was being distributed by the then Iraqi regime to the Congress party and Shri Natwar Singh. These disclosures are extremely embarrassing for the Government of India and the people o India. 

However, instead of setting in motion the relevant investigative agencies, the Prime Minister has already given a clean chit to his colleague, the External Affairs Minister. We believe that the Government would attempt a cover up exercise rather than an honest and independent investigation into the matter. 

The credibility of India's Foreign Minister as a spokesman of India's strategic and diplomatic interest has been considerably hampered. To be dubbed as lobbyist for a discredited regime is enough to render aforeign policy spokesperson as ineffective. Some recent statements of the Foreign Minister also indicate that he is cracking up under pressure. His statements about the United Nations Committee and with regard to the other important nations and governments are unbecoming of basic diplomatic courtesies.

The investigation into the case would have to collect evidence which is located outside India in places such as Iraq, Switzerland, USA and Jordan. Individuals would have to be interrogated in these countries. Thus, any investigation can only be by an agency, which has the authority of law to collect evidence from outside the country. Under the circumstances an inquiry by any committee or group which has no sanction of law would onlybe a cover-up exercise.

We are constrained to approach your Excellency under the circumstances in order to urge you to advise the Prime Minister to drop Shri Natwar Singh from the Council of Ministers. We also request you to advise the Prime Minister to ensure that lawful investigations into the commission of offences as indicated above is ordered forthwith.

Yours sincerely,


New Delhi
November 7, 2005