Former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh passed away on Saturday night after a prolonged illness, family sources said. He was 93.
K Natwar Singh wore many hats as he straddled the worlds of diplomacy, politics and writing but what remained consistent across decades was his sharp-wit and plainspeaking.
Because of his proximity to Indira Gandhi, he was able to intervene directly at the level of the PMO, which he did in the days leading up to the partition of Pakistan in 1971 when he transferred crucial information about Pakistan's moves via information handed to him by an East Pakistani diplomat in Poland where he was posted.
Many were hoping that with Vajpayee's NDA gone, there would be a return to the Congress normal. Nobody was prepared for the opposite. Sonia Gandhi was sceptical. This became the only issue over which Manmohan Singh took on his party bosses and risked his government. Politically, it was riskier than the 1991 reform, recalls Shekhar Gupta.
How seriously should we take Natwar Singh's book? Indeed how seriously should all such memoirs and autobiographies be taken? The answer, I imagine, depends on the intent. If the authors are merely settling scores, as many think Natwar Singh is, future historians would be entitled to ignore such autobiographies. But if there is no mens rea (guilty mind), so to speak, these books must be taken seriously, says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
Some analysts believe that it suits Prime Minister Narendra Modi at this stage to debunk the image of Sonia Gandhi as a woman who declined the prime ministership of the country with great personal sacrifice, just as it would suit him to portray Rahul as a coward who was afraid his mother would be killed -- claims made by former Union minister Natwar Singh in his yet-to-be-released book. Rediff.com contributor Renu Mital reports.
Natwar Singh's book is un-illuminating, largely self-justificatory, often contradictory, and at times tendentious. He is too preoccupied with depicting himself as a victim of the Congress party's machinations, says Praful Bidwai.
In a bid to embarrass National Democratic Alliance-backed presidential nominee Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the Congress on Tuesday sought disqualification of former minister K Natwar Singh, a day after he proposed his name in the election.
The ED was to examine Singh in connection with some of the documents procured from Jordan and Iraq.
Volcker report: Natwar Singh rejects demand for resignation, claims PM's support
Natwar Singh, former Congress leader, on Friday said that the strong reaction from Sonia Gandhi to his new book, proves that it has touched a "raw nerve" and something has "upset" her so much that she came out.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday hinted at "welcoming" former external affairs minister Natwar Singh into its fold after he quit the Congress.
Bharat's petition alleged that in May this year, UIT was instructed by the deputy-secretary (Urban Development and Housing) to allot the land to Natwar and his son.
Natwar submits statement to RS Secretariat
"The show cause notice, including the suspension order, was sent to Singh late Wednesday night," highly placed Congress sources said.
Amid a row over Natwar Singh's comments about Sonia Gandhi in his book, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said it was a bid to market his product and dismissed his contention that PMO files were sent to the Congress president for approval.
The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the proceedings of the Enforcement Directorate against former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh and his son Jagat Singh in the 'oil-for-food' scandal. The ED officials are probing Natwar Singh's alleged involvement in the scandal as pointed out by the Justice R S Pathak committee.
Natwar Singh said he was contemplating legal action.
Jagat, legislator from Laxmangarh, was suspended from the party for 'indiscipline.'
Despite Natwar Singh's outbursts against Sonia Gandhi, the Congress on Monday said it did not want to make him a martyr by summary expulsion as the former external affairs minister's aggression showed his "sense of guilt".
A former Indian ambassador to Iraq has said this to the ED.
Congress action imminent against Natwar Singh when the DAC meets Tuesday night.
'There is nobody in Congress, including Rahul Gandhi, who can challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi'
"A lobbyist getting money from a foreign regime will seriously dent the national honour and prestige," Jaitley said.
"Natwar Singh will visit Pakistan at the invitation of the Pakistani government," Kasuri said at Haveli Lakha in Pakistan's Punjab province on Sunday.
Natwar Singh, who was here to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the G4 countries, hoped the peace process with Pakistan would continue unimpeded "unless there is a terrorist attack like the one witnessed in London."
"The report has as much validity as the report by the CIA director about the alleged existence of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq," he said referring to the report by Paul Volcker, former chairman of the US Federal Reserve.
Former union minister Natwar SinghNatwar Singh on Saturday hit back at the Congress saying the party has conveniently forgotten that it too was named in the Volcker report as a "non-contractual beneficiary".
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