Natwar declares open war against Cong, PM

New Delhi, Aug 7 (UNI) Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh this evening hardened his stand against the Congress and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying he would not let the PM speak if the party does not allow him to put his case before Parliament.

''I have never bowed before anyone, nor will do so in future,'' said the former External Affairs Minister after a long meeting with BJP leader Yashwant Sinha and Janata Dal United leader Digvijay Singh.

Mr Singh, who was indicted along with his son Jagat Singh by the Pathak Inquiry Authority which probed into corrupt Iraqi oil deals during the Saddam Hussein regime in 2001, said he stood by his plan to press for a privilege motion.

Asked if he did not foresee expulsion from the Congress in the event of his moving a privilege motion, he said he would face it.

He described the Patahk Authority Report as politically biased but claimed that even this Report could not establish any charges against them.

Mr Singh said some conspiracy was being hatched to frame him.

''I had opposed the Government policy on the issue of Iran and Iraq and Nuclear deal with the US. I am now the target of an international conspiracy, and if the government becomes party to this conspiracy, I will fight against it,'' he said.

Earlier in the day, Mr Singh had said his motion of privilege in the Rajya Sabha over the leak of the Pathak Inquiry Authority was not targeted at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh personally.

Indicating that his ire was only against "someone" in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), he had told mediapersons that he had nothing personally against Dr Singh. He, however, did not say who exactly was the person in the PMO.

" I have nothing against Dr Manmohan Singh. My complaint is against the PMO, as an institution. There is no issue with the Prime Minister," he said after Parliament was adjourned over the leak of the report, which was today placed before the houses officially, earlier in the day.

When his attention was drawn that the PMO had already clarified that the report was not leaked out from the South Block, he said, " ''Then it is fine.'' Mr Singh said he was not bothered about what the Congress party would decide on his serving a privilege notice against the Prime Minister. " They cannot hang me in the air,'' he had quipped.

UNI NAZ PR KP2136