New Delhi, Jul 31 (IBN) : New Delhi: The Congress party has refuted claims made by former external affairs minister Natwar Singh about Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in his yet to be published autobiography. Senior party leader Digvijaya Singh accused the former Congress leader of promoting his son by making these revelations.
Natwar Singh's son Jagat Singh is a BJP MLA from Rajasthan. "Natwar Singh's allegations don't put him in a good light. His son is a BJP MLA; he has been across many parties; that point has to be borne in mind. It is possible that he is saying all this to create a platform for his son, It doesn't matter whether Sonia Gandhi listened to her son or the MPs; what matters is she didn't become the PM when she could have," he told CNN-IBN.
Former union minister and Congress leader Anand Sharma said boundaries of individual dignity should be respected. "He is a senior leader, he has worked in the organisation, what new knowledge has he got after nine years? Or does he have such a strong memory? Those who respect boundaries of individual dignity don't make such remarks," he said.
Congress leader Ambika Sonia added, "We are not privy to things being said by Natwar Singh. Rahul lost his father and grandmother. Is it unnatural for him to say this? What is wrong if he did? In my tenure I never came across a case where files went to 10 Janpath. I don't want to comment on his motive but he is doing this for PR and publicity of his book."
In his book, Natwar Singh has also written about his equation with the Gandhis and also the much talked about equation between Sonia and former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh. He has also endorsed Sanjaya Baru's earlier claims that important files were taken to the Congress President for approval.
However, the BJP was guarded in its response. BJP leader Nalin Kohli said, "I won't comment till the book is out and the facts are known. If the Gandhi family chose to go and meet Natwar Singh on the eve of his book being released and after having an estranged relationship, perhaps they are worried about something that shouldn't come out."
Relations between Natwar Singh and the Congress went bitter after he had to resign from the UPA-I Government in 2005 in the wake of the Iraqi food-for-oil scam. Natwar Singh maintains that he was always a Gandhi loyalist but thought the decision to expel him from the party was wrong.
In his autobiography titled 'One Life is Not Enough: An Autobiography', Singh, an estranged Gandhi family friend claimed that Sonia Gandhi refused to take charge as Prime Minister in 2004 when the UPA-I came to power due to strong opposition from son Rahul Gandhi.