Congress ridicules BJP's demand for JPC scrutiny of 123 agreements

New Delhi, Aug 6 (UNI) The Congress today dismissed the Opposition BJP's demand for setting up a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to examine the text of the 123 civil nuclear agreement between India and the United States, and said there was no such "convention" in the world's largest democracy.

"Let them point out one such instance of any agreement or treaty being examined by a JPC. Treaty making is in the domain of the Executive," AICC General Secretary Abishek Manu Singhvi told mediapersons at the Party headquarters here.

He said though treaty making was within the powers of the Executive, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had made a statement on the floor of Parliament.

In this context, Dr Singhvi said the BJP could not digest the fact that an "incredible historic agreement entered into by India with the United States." This was precisely the reason why the BJP was trying to fish in troubled waters. In fact, the BJP wanted to divert the attention to hide its frustration of being out of power, he claimed.

"If the BJP's demand is accepted for a JPC scrutiny of the 123 agreement, then every treaty will have to be left to debate." In an eight-page preliminary reaction to the 123 nuclear agreement, the details of which were released by the government on Friday, the BJP said until the JPC report was presented to Parliament and approved, no further action like signing of the deal, be done.

UNI