Saddam was attached to India, Indira : George

New Delhi, Dec 30 (UNI) Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who was executed in Iraq early this morning, was ''emotionally attached'' to India and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, former Defence Minister and NDA Convenor George Fernandes revealed today.

Strongly condemning the hanging of Saddam Hussein, Mr Fernandes said, ''If someone should be hanged it is US President George Bush as he had declared a needless war on oil-rich Iraq with the sole intention of gaining control of huge petroleum resources.'' Recalling his visit to iraq as Industries minister in the Morarji Desai-led-Janata Party Government, Mr Fernandes said Saddam had a lot of love and concern for India, especially for Late Indira Gandhi.

Saddam's admiration for her was never hidden and the deposed Iraqi leader had told him how almost every house in Iraq didnot cook the day she lost elections in 1977, Mr Fernandes said.

Hinting at Iraqi oil-for-food-scam resulting in the resignation of former foreign minister Natwar Singh, he said, ''The Congress, which had 'give and take relationship' with Iraq under Saddam regime was pretending to be ignorant about it.'' Asked if NDA would have reacted similarly if the Iraqi Leader were to be hanged during its regime, Mr Fernandes said, ''I don't think NDA would have wanted this.'' Mr Fernandes said all the reasons advanced by the US like possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction were a ''farce'' and Mr Bush and his Vice President have huge investments and stakes in petroleum products. They pushed the US to war knowing that Iraq possessed no WMDs after United Nations team certified it.

''If anybody is to be hanged it is them,'' he said.

Asked if Saddam's execution could be equated with the hanging of Afzal Guru, one of the conspirators in the 2001 attack on parliament, the NDA convenor said, ''It was unfair to do so.'' UNI MCN SI VC2002