The foreign minister stressed that Pakistan's insistence on the centrality of the Kashmir issue has not produced results for 57 years.
'There is nobody in Congress, including Rahul Gandhi, who can challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi'
Manmohan Singh's reign as prime minister has been severely criticised by his former ministerial colleague Natwar Singh, who says he leaves no legacy after being in power for 10 years.
Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani held talks with External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh on Wednesday in New Delhi on strategic partnership, particularly in the field of energy.
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.
Declaring that he was ready for a decisive battle, Natwar said: "I am a man of strong nerves. I won't take things lying down."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Natwar Singh said he was contemplating legal action.
"Natwar Singh will visit Pakistan at the invitation of the Pakistani government," Kasuri said at Haveli Lakha in Pakistan's Punjab province on Sunday.
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".
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."
Union Minister Anand Sharma Wednesday said the suspended leader was a "rank opportunist having no political relevance".
It will take the wind out of the sails of the malicious campaign of the Bharatiya Janata Party who are holding Parliament to ransom and are trying without justification to escalate the issue further," A B Bardhan said.
Volcker: 'File CBI case against Natwar, Congress'
He said if somebody levels allegations, they should be ashamed of themselves.
The ED was to examine Singh in connection with some of the documents procured from Jordan and Iraq.
Congress on Wednesday night slammed as "politically motivated" the claim of former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh that it was not Sonia Gandhi's "inner voice" that prevented her from becoming prime minister but the strong opposition from Rahul Gandhi.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday hinted at "welcoming" former external affairs minister Natwar Singh into its fold after he quit the Congress.
The CPM demanded a probe into findings of the UN-ordered Volcker Committee that named External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and the Congress party among beneficiaries of Iraq's oil for food programme
Volcker report: Natwar Singh rejects demand for resignation, claims PM's support
"A lobbyist getting money from a foreign regime will seriously dent the national honour and prestige," Jaitley said.
"The show cause notice, including the suspension order, was sent to Singh late Wednesday night," highly placed Congress sources said.
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