The Natwar Flip-Flop

The Natwar Singh flip-flop continues. The track-IIdiplomacy that he has never been good at, seems to be failing him even now.Yesterday, he had first softened his stance, by offering a "salaam" toManmohan Singh when he saw him in Rajya Sabha, but when his sought-forappointment was denied, and Congress indicated that it needed a public apologyfrom him, the Jat leader had turned belligerent again.

In Rajat-Sharma's Adalat programme, he first sought to explain awayhis intemperate outburst in the presence of Amar Singh & Co. as a"human response" in a flash of anger, but later, when probed what hehad to say about his description of Manmohan Singh as someone who had not evenwon a municipal election, he turned fully melodramatic, folded his hands andwith mock gravity and humility said, "With folded hands, with extremehumility, did I say anything factually incorrect?" Full marks for drama andhonesty, there.

And in is press conference today, again, he was back to justifying hisremarks against the PM: "Manmohan Singh is a friend and a colleague. At this juncture, the nation needs decisive, resolute and forceful leadership. What I said is no secret and the word was spoken by me as a friend to demonstrate ourcommitment." 

He said he had sought an appointment from the Prime Minister to discuss various "big issues" and not to "kneel before him". 

"I am sorry that many years of long association and that he (Prime Minister)is my neighbour was not taken into consideration (while cancelling the appointment), he said."I wanted to question him on big issues such as nuclear deal, US policies against Islam, what is happening in Iraq and why is Nepal, where India's name is not there, writing to United Nations," he added.

"India needs a decisive and forceful leadership and that is what I am going to say," he said when asked about his views on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

But he turns belligerent when it comes to his role in the oil-for-food scam. "During my entire stay in Baghdad, there were no discussion or talks with regard to the Oil-for-Food program. There was no mention on oil contracts, vouchers, receipts or banks accounts," he said. 

"The Pathak Commission has completely absolved me and my son. The report has many flaws. But it has said there is no evidence on the basis of which the finger of suspicion could be pointed at either me or my son. I am spotless. My son is spotless," he insists and claims that "no evidence was produced in the Volcker report to justify why, when and who included my name and that of the Congress Party in the report submitted in October 2005."

Besides, he points to Volcker's bias: "Mr Volcker has gone on record saying that he has changed the language of his report so that no shadow was cast on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and his son Kojo."

Sticking to his description of Manmohan Singh as a "weak" Prime Minister, suspended Congress leader Natwar Singh today said the nation needs a "decisive and forceful" leadership now.

But when it comes to Sonia Gandhi, his public statements show his realdilemma. On one hand there is gratitude based perhaps on his only hope: "Till now, in hergenerosity and kindness, Sonia Gandhi has said nothing against me. And neither have I said anything against her..."

But he also adds that "not a leaf moves in the Congress party without Sonia Gandhi's knowledge" which conveysthat all his public outbursts against others should actually have been aimed ather. But he also adds that sheknows it all about his Iraq trip: "The Congress delegation was an entirely political delegation. On my return I briefed the Congress president about our substantive, political discussions in Baghdad," he said, insisting that at no stage "did I ask for any favours for myself or my son ... no illegality, whether in India or internationally, had been committed." This, when Congressparty went on record to say that the Congress president did not know anythingabout the inclusion of his son or his cousin in the Congress delegation.