Ready to face any consequence, says Natwar Singh

Former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh today said he was ready to face any consequences from his privilege motion against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the leakage of the Justice Pathak report but he will press for his motion to be accepted.

Talking to newsmen outside Parliament House, when he was asked if his privilege motion will be admitted, he said, "I think so."

However, Natwar Singh refused to elaborate on this, saying that the media will have to wait till 2 pm when the House reconvenes after its adjournment.

Natwar Singh was mobbed by media-persons when he stepped out of the main gate of Parliament House soon after the government tabled the Action Taken Report on the Justice Pathak report in both the houses of Parliament.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Sanghvi said the fact that Natwar Singh was going ahead with the motion shows that he was serious. Senior Congress leader Motilal Vora refused to acknowledge if the Congress party will meet today to take note of Natwar Singh's defiance and take action against him.

According to Congress sources, Natwar Singh seems prepared to face his expulsion from the Congress party as he went to the Rajya Sabha accompanied by Samajwadi Party members led by Amar Singh. It does looks as if Natwar Singh is tying up with the Samajwadi Party and hence his act of defiance, a senior Congress leader said.

Asked if Natwar Singh was joining the Samajwadi Party, its leader Amar Singh told rediff.com, "Hum har us dukhi ke saath hain jo peedith hain (we are with those who are victimised)."

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah said it was Natwar Singh's privilege as a member of Parliament to speak on the issue, and "the Congress cannot afford to knock him off on this subject."

Abdullah pointed out that Natwar Singh as a veteran Congress leader knows far too much about the party and its secrets and the Congress cannot afford to have them leaked out.