Govt maintains it transparent on Nuke Deal

New Delhi, Aug 17: The Government today maintained it had been 'absolutely transparent' in informing Parliament about the Indo-US Nuclear Deal and had kept no information under shroud.

Intervening during a Short Duration Discussion on the issue, raised by Mr Yashwant Sinha and others, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma asserted that the United Progressive Alliance Government had always bowed to the supremacy of Parliament and adhered to the guidelines issued by the apex legislature of the country.

''On the other hand, it was the previous National Democratic Aliance which had conducted several negotiations in total secrecy...

keeping Parliament, and the country, in the dark,'' the young Minister said seeking to rebut, in a sniping snide manner, charges levelled by discussion initiator Yashwant Sinha of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Minister further reaffirmed that India, under the United Progressive Alliance Government, would ''neither bend, bow nor scrape'' to US pressure to change the contents of the N-Deal both countries had signed.

Denying opposition charges that the bicameral US legislature was in the process of changing to its further advantage the Indo-US N-Deal, the Minister observed that, on the other hand, the US legislatures were yet in the process of approving two separate Bills related to the N-Deal.

These two separate Bills would further undergo reconciliation before being presented to President George Bush, he informed the House.

Seeking to assuage fears that ''goalposts are being shifted and the N-Deal changed'', Mr Sharma assured that India would never ever succumb to US pressure to incorporate changes in the historic agreement that, in so many words, accorded recognition to India's prominent stature in the exclusive Nuclear club.

''We have taken all precautions while signing the deal... The Prime Minister has also ensured that all safeguards are in place....'' Recognition, and separation from the Military programme, of the Indian civilian Nuclear Programme was also a tacit recognition of India's Nuclear weapons-readiness, the Minister maintained.

UNI

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