Opps demand discussion on N-bill, stage walkout

New Delhi, July 27: The entire opposition today walked out of the Rajya Sabha demanding further discussion on the nuclear deal with the United States even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured the house that there was no violation of law and the entire process is yet to be completed by the US legislature.

The Prime Minister said he wanted to make it clear that he cannot influence the US legislative process. He said it is for the US government to come to a conclusion ''while we perform our part of the bargain'', Dr Singh said in the upper house during Question Hour.

He said the US legislative process on the nuclear deal with India is still on and any apprehension right now is baseless.

The Prime Minister also assured the house that whatever is taking place on the nuclear deal will be within the parameters of July 18, 2005 joint statement.

He said only if the end result of the US legislative process is not in tandem with the country's needs, then will it be deterimental. ''We must have patience,'' the Prime Minister said.

He said the US legislation process is still on and India had adequate dialogue with the US on the issue on several occasions.

Former External Affairs Minister and BJP member Yashwant Sinha expressed fear that once the US legislative process is over, the ''goal posts will be shifted''. Not only would they be shifted but taken out of the field, Mr Sinha said.

Mr Singh, however, said nothing of this sort will happen and the ''goal posts will be there''.

When SP member Amar Singh asked whether the house wanted a resolution on this issue, the entire opposition said the Prime Minister should give a reply. ''The whole house wants a resolution on this issue'' Mr Singh demanded.

Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, however, asked the members to take their seat and said only supplementaries on the question on Safeguards Agreement with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could be asked.

Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh intervened and said the Prime Minister has cited the legislative process of the US as one of the inhibiting factors.

CPI(M) member Sitaram Yechury reiterated that the house should honour the feeling of its members on a resolution. He recalled the July 29, 2005 suo motu statement in the house by the PM that ''We are committing ourselves to separating the military and civilian use of nuclear energy. This will be under the IAEA safeguards. India will now have to negotiate with the IAEA.

In his reply the Prime Minister said there has been no violations and requested the members to ''let the process be completed''.

Earlier, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said that India and IAEA have concluded an agreement requiring the application of IAEA's safeguards in accordance with its standards, principles and practices to India's civil nuclear facilities, materials and programmes.

He quoted the Prime Minister's statement in Parliament on July 29, 2005, ''Before voluntarily placing our civilan facilities under IAEA safeguards, we will ensure that all restrictions on India have been lifted,''.

The government continues to abide by that commitment, Mr Sharma said.

UNI

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