UPA making nuke deal a family affair: Sushma Swaraj

Bhubaneswar, Sep 01: BJP deputy leader in Rajya Sabha and chief spokesperson Sushma Swaraj today accused the UPA government of making the Indo-US nuclear deal a 'family welfare affair'.

''The deal concerns the nation and the UPA cannot make it a family affair by ignoring the opposition political parties,'' Ms Swaraj said, taking exception to the formation of a committee comprising representatives of the UPA and the Left parties to go into the details of the nuke deal.

She said the UPA had 'totally ignored' recognised opposition parties. ''All opposition political parties which had voiced their concern on the nuke deal were completely ignored,'' she said.

''We wanted to raise the issue in Parliament but we were not allowed to do so and Parliament was adjourned till September 5,'' she rued.

The BJP, she said, would again raise the matter and chalk out its course of action on September 5, the day Parliament assembles.

On the possibility of a mid term poll, Ms Swaraj said much depends on the Left parties. If the Left withdraws support then there would be no other alternative with the UPA but to go for a mid term poll, she explained.

She alleged that External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had committed contempt of Parliament by announcing outside Parliament to put on hold the nuclear deal when the session was on.

On the demand of BJP tribal legislators from Orissa to be given due share in the council of ministers, Ms Swaraj said BJP president Rajnath Singh had taken cognizance of the matter and hinted that soon a satisfactory solution would emerge.

UNI