BJP wants govt to pass resolution on Indo-US nuke deal

Hyderabad, Aug 12 (UNI) Senior BJP Leader Murli Manohar Joshi today asked the Centre to pass a resolution on the civilian nuclear deal with America, reflecting the sense of both the Houses of Parliament on the issue.

Addressing mediapersons here, Mr Joshi said the deal was in favour of US interest and would 'affect India's independent foreign policy in future.' The conditions which the US incorporated in the bill would not allow India to test any nuclear device and most of the nuclear reactors, barring a few, would be under the most intrusive inspection by the American agencies, he claimed.

The deal would not help the country to become 'self sufficient' in energy sector, he said, adding the BJP would raise the issue in Parliament on August 17 demanding a resolution be adopted in this regard.

Pointing out the country should stop nuclear breeder research once the deal was finalised and India should report on purchase of even a a single gram of unranium to the US, Mr Joshi alleged that America was trying to acquire the nuclear technology possessed by the country which had also largest reserves of Thorium.

Both China and Pakistan continued with research and possession of nuclear weapons. Besides, Pakistan had constructed a reactor recently, he said adding former chiefs of Atomic Energy Commission and scientists were opposed to the deal.

Mr Joshi questioned why the UPA government was hiding the facts in the deal and maintaining secrecy even as the US government was coming out with the information to the people and the media.

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