N-deal rocks Parliament, Left walks out

New Delhi, Aug 16 (UNI) As the BJP-led Opposition accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for misleading Parliament in the backdrop of fresh statement by the US that the nuclear deal would be scrapped if India conducted an atomic test, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said nowhere in the bilateral agreement is testing mentioned.

''A decision to undertake a future nuclear test would be India's sovereign decision, resting solely with the Government of India,'' Mr Mukherjee asserted in the Lok Sabha amid the din created by the Opposition members who trooped into the well shouting slogans, ''UPA hai, hai (Down with UPA)'', ''Nuclear deal vaapas karo (Scrap the deal).'' The Left members, who have also expressed their opposition to the deal, walked out in protest when Mr Mukherjee was reading out his statement.

In the Rajya Sabha, the BJP-led NDA members demanded the regignation of the Prime Minister.

Mr Mukherjee said India had the sovereign right to test and would do so if it was necessary in national interest. The only restraint was its voluntary unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing, declared by the previous government and being continued by the successor government.

''There is nothing in the bilateral agreement that would tie the hands of a future government or legally constrain its options.

''Nowhere in the bilateral agreement on Cooperation for Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy with the United States of America is testing mentioned,'' he asserted.

He said the 123 agreement contained elaborate provisions in Articles 5 and 14 to ensure the continuous operation of India's reactors. These include fuel supply assurances, the right to take corrective measures, and a strategic fuel reserve for the lifetime of India's reactors in case of cessation of cooperation.

Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day as the Opposition continued with their protests.

In the Lok Sabha, BJP Deputy leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra gave a privilege notice against the Prime Minister for misleading the House on the nuclear deal.

Dr Singh, during his suo motu statement in Parliament on August 13, had said that India would retain the right to nuclear testing in the 123 agreement it had signed with the US, the Opposition said.

The Lower House saw three adjournments, the final for the day, with the BJP insisting that their notice be taken up.

Amid the din, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee got the papers laid and Finance Minister P Chidambaram tabled the Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) and introduced the SBI (Amendment) Bill, 2007.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice, finally at 1210 hrs, with the slogan-chanting SP and AIADMK members making a shrill demand that the Prime Minister apologise to the nation for misleading the House.

The BJP-led NDA members joined the chorus of protests and demanded Dr Singh's resignation on the issue.

UNI