Nuke deal debate in Lok Sabha tomorrow

New Delhi, Nov 27 (UNI) The Lok Sabha will have a debate on the controversial Indo-US civil nuclear deal tomorrow, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said today.

However, the debate in Rajya Sabha would be after December one.

Mr Dasmunsi said External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee would make a statement in Parliament tomorrow on the status of the exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who was shifted to an undisclosed destination early today as part of a special security plan following a threat to her life from Muslim fundamentalist organisations.

He said the Lok Sabha might also take up for discussion tomorrow, the incident in Guwahati in which a tribal girl was stripped by a mob.

The debate on nuke deal would begin at 1400 hrs in the Lok Sabha under rule 193 of the Rules of Procedure of the House. Under the rule, there will not be voting at the end of the debate.

Mr Mukherjee would reply to the debate tomorrow itself. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is also expected to be present during the debate.

The Opposition NDA had been demanding a discussion on the 123 Agreement with regard to the Nuclear Deal under rule 184, which entails voting.

The Left Parties, which have been opposing the deal, had favoured a debate on the deal in Parliament.

The nuclear deal was slated for debate in both houses of Parliament during the last monsoon session. But it could not be taken up due to disruptions to the proceedings by the Opposition on several issues.

UNI