Report questionable: Natwar

Even as he gave himself a clean-chit debunking Justice Pathak8217;s findings, Natwar Singh did come close to admitting a few things today in the Rajya Sabha.

Even as he gave himself a clean-chit debunking Justice Pathak8217;s findings, Natwar Singh did come close to admitting a few things today in the Rajya Sabha. That is, if his letters of introduction were used to secure oil contracts, 8216;8216;these were legitimate contracts under the UN oil-for-food programme and there was no illegality committed by him in India or internationally.8217;8217;

As he read out his written explanation, cut from 16 pages to seven, Natwar Singh seemed to regain some equanimity if not ground. 8216;8216;I am in the evening of my life and shall meet the Cosmic Master with my head high. Clean I came into the world and clean I shall depart,8217;8217; he told the House.

How much the Congress party would buy this almost poignant warrior-in-his-winter act of his would be seen in the days to come. But 8216;Personal explanation8217; did restore some 8216;sense8217; to the raging and ranting of the previous week.

Repeatedly citing his affidavit 8212; which he said was ignored by Pathak Inquiry Authority 8212; he sought to bring a foreign policy angle, 8216;8216;8230;I have given details and Mr Volcker8217;s bias against those who disapproved of US actions in West Asia and elsewhere.8217;8217;

However, he was willing to go along with Pathak8217;s report as long it helped him assert: 8216;8216;The Authority has in clear terms said I and my son derived no financial gain from any source. We stand fully vindicated.8217;8217;

For records, he said, 8216;8216;On my return 2001 I briefed the Congress president without mentioning Sonia Gandhi by name about our discussions in Baghdad. Nothing at all was concealed from her or held back.8217;8217;

8216;8216;Clearly8217;8217;, therefore, 8216;8216;Justice Pathak8217;s conclusions dealing with the oil contracts in which I was mentionesd as the non-contractual beneficiary and the contract in which the Congress party was mentioned as non-contractual beneficiary are at best questionable.8217;8217;

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He, then, emphatically proclaimed: 8216;8216;I would like to state with all the emphasis at my command that nowhere have I signed any contract, received any voucher, signed any receipt or made any transaction with any party.8217;8217;

On how too much was made of his three letters of reference, a sentimental Singh said: 8216;8216;Are we responsible for how they are used?8217;8217;