BJP witholds comments on Indo-US nuclear deal

New Delhi, Mar 2 (UNI) The BJP today chose not to comment on the nuclear agreement reached between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting U S President George W Bush, but said it would make a ''considered reaction'' after ''authentic details'' were made known to the country.

BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley said the party had noted the joint announcement of the two leaders on reaching an understanding on nuclear issue. ''We don't want to make comments on based on 'unconfirmed speculations'. The government has said that the Prime Minister will make his statement in Parliament disclosing details and we prefer to comment after he makes his statement,'' he said.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and former Science and Technology Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, who had expressed his reservations about the proposed deal, also said he would react only after details were known. "However, I expect Dr Manmohan Singh to reassure the people of the country in Parliament that the energy security, strategic interest and sovereignty of the nation was not compromised," Dr Joshi told UNI.

Asked about the Left's allegations about the BJP and the Congress having ''covert understanding'' on the nuclear deal, Mr Jaitley said the BJP's reaction on the July 2005 MOU was not complimentary and the party had articulated its concerns openly while acknowledging the positive aspects.

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