BJP asks govt to give detgails of Sonia's letter to Iraq

New Delhi, Aug 14 (UNI) Asserting the non-contractual beneficiaries issue was not dead, the Bharatiya Janata Party today asked the government to resolve the mystery over Congress President Sonia Gandhi's letter purported to have been carried by former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh to Iraq.

Talking to reporters, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said Mr Singh had been maintaining that he carried a letter from Ms Gandhi to Iraq.

"Even as the Pathak Committee has given a clean chit to the Congress, mystery over the letter continues," he added.

Mr Malhotra said the BJP had apprehensions that oil coupon notings were made on the same letter and probe into the non-contractual beneficiaries--Congress and Natwar Singh--as alleged in the Volcker Report, was not complete.

"We still maintain that the Pathak Committee Report was an eye-wash as it does not talk about this letter," he said.

Justice Pathak, he said, had said about the three letters Mr Singh had written to Iraqi Authorities, but remained silent on the introductory letter given by Ms Gandhi to him.

Mr Virendra Dayal was sent to Iraq and USA to collect all information and material in support of which the Volcker Committee had given its report. If he had collected letters written by Mr Singh, why he could not get the copy of the letter of Ms Gandhi carried by Mr Singh to Iraq, he asked.

"The issue is still not dead and we will be raising it along with other corruption charges against the Congress, in both the Houses," Mr Malhotra said.

Meanwhile, the BJP has given notices for discussion under various rules, including call attention, on the revelations about the pesticides found in cola drinks.

Mr Malhotra said the BJP also took exception to the USA threat that restrictions on the sale of Coca Cola and Pepsi would affect investments in India.

"We object to such kinds of threats by the USA which had banned sale of Ayurveda drugs," he said.

Mr Malhotra said it was matter related to the health of the people and the country should not come under pressure from the USA.

Cautioning the government against taking a soft stand on the issue, Mr Malhotra said the Government had not yet come out with the pesticide percentage in cola drinks. The Government had its own laboratories but it was purposely delaying the tests, he added.

He also demanded that every bottle of the soft drink must carry the label showing the ingredients and percentage of pesticides residue, if any.

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