Briefing mediapersons at the party headquarters here on Monday, party spokesperson Kapil Sibal ridiculed Prime Minsiter Atal Bihari Vajpayee's claim that sugar import was done by private traders since the commodities had come under open general licence (OGL) and sugar, in fact, was canalised into the country by the state-owned Project Equipment Corporation (PEC) throughout last year.

Citing a specific instance, Sibal said the PEC as a canalising agency had imported sugar for a company called, JS Overseas, from Pakistan in March and April this year and hence Prime Minister's claim that the government had no knowledge was not correct.

Sibal said the government had also resorted to large scale import of wheat from Australia ignoring suggestions from experts and Food and Agriculatural Organisation (FAO) of the UnitedNations.

He added that the deal was done through State Trading Corporation, by which wheat was bought and dumped on Food Corporation of India, which had resisted it.

Sibal said that about 15 lakh tonnes of imported wheat was lying in various godowns in southern ports, where the consumption was low.

Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi lashed out against the BJP-led coalition government, saying that it had betrayed the nation by importing sugar from Pakistan and thereby benefitting the enemy.

Addressing an election meeting in Ujjain, she said the present government had belied the promises, it had setforth before the people. Making a vituperative attack on BJP, Gandhi said the new telecom policy and the sugar scam exemplified its corrupt character.