Left, Opposition isolate Govt in LS on nuke deal

New Delhi, Aug 17 (UNI) The government today found itself in the minority in the Lok Sabha with the Left and the Opposition rejecting External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's contention that the US law under the Hyde Act was only advisory in nature and would not come in the way of implementing the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Raising the issue during zero hour, Leader of Opposition L K Advani demanded a Constitutional amendment, stipulating that all international treaties of great importance such as the nuclear deal should have the approval of Parliament.

The US was relying on the Congress for endorsing such treaties and similarly India should empower Parliament to scrutinise the deals which were not acceptable to the people, he said.

Quoting US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, Mr Advani said the 123 agreement on the nuke deal was completely in consistence with the Hyde Act which had made it clear that any test by India would kill the nuclear cooperation.

Mr Mukherjee immediately refuted the contention, stating that US President George Bush, while signing the Hyde Act, had asserted that its provisions were only advisory in nature. ''Let the House restore peace and normalcy...Let the country decide who is right and who is wrong.'' Mr Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) condemned the US State Department spokesperson's statement that the nucler deal would automatically be terminated if India conducted a test.

He was also highly critical of Mr Mukherjee for not specifically referring to the US spokesperson and rather preferring to mention it very vaguely -- ''a question has been raised.'' Mr Dasgupta wondered why the government was afraid of antagonising the US even when there was a need.

The various statements made by the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and the US State Department on the nuclear deal did not dispel the ''suspicion'' of the Left and rather strengthened it, he said.

Mr Rupchand Pal (CPI-M) endorsed the views of Mr Dasgupta, stating that the US statement only ''confirms the apprehensions raised by the Left.'' Mr Prabhunath Singh (JD-U) wanted to know the ''hidden details'' of the deal.

Mr Brija Kishore Tripathi (BJD) wanted re-negotiation of the deal.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said the issue would be allowed to be discussed on Monday under rule 193 in a manner which was in tune with the sense of the House.

UNI