Oil for Thought: Why was the Congress let off?

The much-awaited Pathak Commission report investigating the Oil for Food scam managed to create the anticipated political uproar that was witnessed. The report’s findings were a trifle mysterious in its virtual exoneration of the Congress Party and a ‘clean chit’ of sorts to Natwar Singh and his son Jagat Singh in any financial kickbacks that they are alleged to have received. However, Natwar Singh has been accused of misusing his power and influence in the erstwhile Baath regime to lift oil from Iraq. Expectedly, the conduits, Andaleeb Sehgal and Aditya Khanna were found guilty of having received the kickbacks. The report is odd, as it has cleared the Natwar family of having received any money when there is an ongoing investigation by the Enforcement Directorate into the economic offences or abetment to those offences having been carried out by Natwar and Jagat. Also, the report clears the Congress’ name without even serving a formal notice to the party whose name figures as non-contractual beneficiaries in the original Volcker report. The question being asked by a broad spectrum of political hues is that how is it that the Congress is exonerated without having faced the Commission (except an informal visit by Moti Lal Vohra to the commission) while Natwar is guilty of misusing his power? Also, if Natwar is guilty of having ‘facilitated’ the four million barrel contract to Sehgal and Masefield, then what became of the four million barrels lifted by Masefield in the name of the Congress Party?

These questions along with the embarrassment of having an ex-foreign minister and Gandhi loyalist cast aspersions on the current Finance Minister have made the entire Congress descend into a collective hush of sorts. The BJP has gained with the issue after their own equally embarrassing ‘mole’ fiasco. While this current Monsoon session seems doomed to adjournments, this issue will continue to rage outside parliament as well. The entire controversy has acquired an additional dimension with the apparent leak of the report to the media prior to it reaching the prime minister or the parliament. According to some theories doing the rounds, the Congress, in a bid to get the good news of its exoneration out, went out and got the report leaked. While some say that a person within the Pathak Commission leaked the report to the media. While all this remains mere hearsay, the leak itself is serious in nature and needs to be investigated. Also, with the Left and the Right of the political divide virtually junking the report as an exercise to save the Congress, a more serious investigation involving an investigative agency like the CBI seems to be in the offing. Even as the entire issue has sprung many surprises along its 10-month infamy, Natwar Singh’s careers surely looks in the doldrums or on its decline. How he recovers from this setback is keenly watched, will he let loose and spill the beans, will he join another political party, or will he keep a dignified silence and gracefully exit remains to be seen. But the Oil-for Food scandal remains a major embarrassment for the government and the Congress in particular after many blushes on its policy and reform front.