I will not sacrifice myself: Natwar Singh

NEW DELHI: Natwar Singh, in the eye of a political storm over his suspected involvement in questionable Iraqi oil deals, Sunday said he was not "guilty of any wrongdoing" and would not resign as it would be tantamount to an "admission of guilt".

In his second statement to the press in three days as pressure built on him to quit as a minister without portfolio in the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Natwar Singh said defiantly: "I am not guilty of any wrongdoing in law or spirit. I refuse to sacrifice myself."

Natwar Singh said that despite opposition demands, he was not going to resign, as "to resign now would look, to many people, as an admission of guilt."

He said he had not added the names of his son Jagat Singh and Andaleeb Sehgal to the official Congress delegation to Iraq in January 2001 and that his son's ticket was not bought by the party.

Natwar Singh confirmed that the delegation members consisted of P Shiv Shankar, A R Antulay, Aneil Mathrani and himself.

However, he did not refer to the other charges made against him about his complicity in facilitating the oil vouchers to his son and business associate during the delegation's stay in Iraq.