Denying any connection with the Food-for-Oil contract mentioned in the United Nations probe, the Congress on Thursday said it had decided to issue a legal notice to the United Nations and Volcker Committee for naming the party as a beneficiary of the deal.
The Congress has demanded a full disclosure of the material, on the basis of which the Volcker Committee had reached the "unverified" conclusion that the party had been a beneficiary, a release issued in New Delhi by the party said.
The party reiterated the statement made by it on October 29 on the report, saying it was "shocked" to find that it has been referred to as a "non-contractual beneficiary."
"In continuation of the clear and categorical position taken earlier, the Congress has decided to issue a comprehensive legal notice to the parties concerned including the UN and the Volcker committee," the release added.
Failing disclosure of the relevant material, the Congress has demanded an unconditional apology for wrongly and maliciously making a reference to it.
The decision comes in the wake of External Affairs Minister Natwar calling on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier in the day to reportedly explain his position on the Volcker committee report.
A statement issued by the prime minister's office after the half-an-hour meeting, once again clarified that the report was insufficient to arrive at any adverse or definitive conclusion.
The statement said the government was determined to go to the roots of the matter and establish the truth or otherwise of this reference.
"The government is deeply concerned about the unverified reference made in the Volcker committee report to the Congress party and External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh," the statement said.
"The Volcker committee report, as it stands today, is insufficient to arrive at any adverse or definitive conclusion. Therefore, the government is determined to go to the root of the matter and establish the truth or otherwise of this reference," it added.
