LS to debate Indo-US nuke deal today
New
Delhi,
Nov
28:
The
much-awaited
debate
on
the
Indo-US
civil
nuclear
cooperation
deal
is
scheduled
to
take
place
in
the
Lok
Sabha
today.
The
debate
will
begin
at
2.00
p.m.
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.
Parliamentary
Affairs
Minister
Priyaranjan
Dasmunsi
on
Tuesday
said
that
the
“Sense
of
the
House
cannot
be
obtained
in
a
short-duration
discussion
under
Rule
193.
You
cannot
reach
a
conclusion
on
a
debate
which
has
not
been
voted
in
the
House."
Dasmunsi indicated that Rajya Sabha might take up the discussion only after December 1. The debate will take place on the basis of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's statement in both Houses in the previous monsoon session.
Dr. Singh is likely to intervene during the discussion on the deal, while External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will reply to the debate on the deal.
The government was ready for an early debate on the matter but the Opposition insisted on the presence of Dr. Singh during the discussion. The debate on the deal will take place at a time when the government has approached the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for India-related nuclear safeguards after the Left gave the government a go ahead for it.
The Left, providing crucial outside support to the Congress-led coalition, is a consistent critic of the deal and has warned the government against operationalising it.
ANI>