Home

Natwar fails to turn up at 10 Janpath for meeting with Sonia

     New Delhi: Natwar Singh who was divested of his portfolio as the Minister of External Affairs by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was today scheduled to attend a meeting at 10 Janpath with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, but did not turn up at the appointed hour. Sources said that Natwar was to attend the meeting and hold discussions with Sonia and other leaders over the evening's developments, and matters related to the Volcker Report. Natwar, sources said, had left for Rashtrapati Bhawan where he was to attend a dinner in honour of visiting Czech Republic President, Vaclav Klaus. They said that it was a predetermined appointment and Natwar had only gone to attend the dinner as per his schedule. Natwar, it seems, is a little upset over his divestment and even refused to talk to media who kept him chasing from to his residence at Teenmurti Lane. It may be noted that earlier when his name figured in the Report, he missed no opportunity to brief the media about his innocence.

    Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP has said that stripping Natwar Singh off his portfolio is an attempt by the Congress Party to throttle the case involving his alleged involvement in the Volcker Committee Report. BJP General Secretary and spokesman Arun Jaitley said that the BJP still demanded Natwar's resignation as the Minister of External Affairs, and stripping him of his portfolio today evening by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was only an attempt to sideline the issue. He said that divesting Singh of his portfolio was an 'unsavoury deal' and a 'compromise solution', which only made issue murkier. He said that the latest decision by the Congress Party made the issue more suspicious than ever before. Natwar Singh, he further said, had not only caused embarrassment for himself and his party, but for the whole country.

Leading Indian News Papers

Previous File                 Go To Top

Travel Sites:

Overseas Tourist
Offices

Tourist offices
in India