
Desperate to clear its name, the Congress is likely to send a protest note to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan for having been 8216;8216;erroneously named8217;8217; by the Volcker Committee as one of the beneficiaries of the oil-for-food programme.
Sources in the party said legal experts were in the process of formulating the note. 8216;8216;We will take every action to clear our name,8217;8217; Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said today.
8216;8216;We are outraged. We have been unfairly blamed. Others were given notices but we were given none,8217;8217; he added.
Asked if the Congress favoured an inquiry, Sharma shot back: 8216;8216;Inquiry against whom and into what?8217;8217;
8216;8216;It the report is full of glaring errors and gaping holes. It has followed an erroneous procedure. There is lack of any corroborative evidence against us,8217;8217; Sharma said.
The committee, Sharma added, followed 8216;8216;different standards and different yardsticks8217;8217; and is not 8216;8216;sacrosanct8217;8217;. On Left demand for an independent inquiry, Sharma said, 8216;8216;It is their view.8217;8217;
Asked if the Congress stand over the indictment of Minister for External Affairs Natwar Singh was the same, Sharma said, 8216;8216;The Prime Minister has categorically stated that he stands by him Natwar Singh.8217;8217;
When reporters pointed out that Natwar8217;s continuation on the post could be embarrassing for the country, Sharma raised his voice and said: 8216;8216;He is the Foreign Minister of the country. The Prime Minister has made it clear that he stands by him.8221;