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Sonia for action against Volcker accused

     New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday denied the allegations of shielding former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh in Iraqi oil deal controversy, saying action would be taken against any individual found guilty in the matter after inquiry report comes. Responding to queries at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit here, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) president said that they (UPA Government) were waiting for the results of the inquiry and action would be taken if something comes out against any individual if he had indulged in illegal activities. "Government will initiate action (against individuals). We can no longer look the other way when such things take place," she said. On being asked about her view on setting up of a judicial probe into the allegations instead of a full-fledged commission, Sonia said she was "100 per cent with it" and hoped that they (inquiry) would come out with the truth in the shortest possible time.

      Bharatiya Janata Party president L K Advani had on Friday said that the UPA government was trying to cover up the murky transactions in Iraq's Oil-for-food scandal by instituting an inquiry by a judicial commission. Advani had said that government's decision of going back on its assurance of instituting a "full-fledged" probe by a judicial commission into the Volcker panel's report was aimed at covering the scandal which allegedly involved Natwar Singh.