Friday, December 2 2005 15:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Opposition today (Dec 2, 2005) targetted Sonia Gandhi in Lok Sabha in the wake of sensational disclosures by India's Ambassador to Croatia Aneil Mathrani in Iraq's oil-for-food scam, demanding that the Congress President resign as the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council.

Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made a statement declaring that no one who is guilty will go unpunished, opposition members blocked the proceedings demanding Gandhi's resignation from the NAC, a post which gives the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson a Cabinet rank in the Government.

"The Prime Minister removed K Natwar Singh from the External Affairs Ministry till the inquiry is over. Taking the cue, Congress President Sonia Gandhi should also resign from Chairpersonship (of the NAC) as it is also a Government post," Leader of the Opposition L K Advani was heard demanding.

He said this was necessary as in view of Mathrani's statements, the references to Congress party were no longer unverified.

Advani contended that this was because a member of the delegation led by Natwar Singh to Iraq in 2001 has dismissed as 'hogwash' the claim that Congress and Natwar Singh had no knowledge about the scam.

Soon after opposition members stormed the well of the House shouting anti-Sonia slogans, which were countered by the treasury benches with slogans against Advani and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convenor George Fernandes.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee then adjourned the House till 15.30 hours amid the din.