BJP demands clarification from Centre on nuke deal

Bangalore, Sept 12 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday demanded a clarification from Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh Government on the alleged holding back of information regarding the India-US nuclear deal.

Speaking to reporters on Friday in Bangalore where the members of the party have assembled to chalk out the strategy for the forthcoming General and Assembly elections, senior leader of BJP Jaswant Singh said that the agreement does not transform political commitments of the two countries into legally binding commitments.

"Now that President George W Bush and his presidential presentation to the US council has categorically said that not withstanding what is there in the 123, the fact of the matter is that this is not a legally binding obligation, will the Government of India issue a clarification categorically to eschew the concerns of the citizens of India," said Singh.

He added that President Bush's communication to the US Congress has confirmed the concerns of the party that the nuclear deal will hurt the very sovereignty of the country.

BJP had earlier demanded to move a breach of privilege notice against the government after leak of a hitherto held correspondence from Bush Administration to the US Congress stating that Washington will terminate nuclear trade with India if New Delhi conducts a nuclear test.

Despite having managed a waiver from the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Dr. Singh and the ruling Congress party have been facing flak from some political parties including their erstwhile left allies and the BJP for moving ahead with the deal, alleging it would compromise the country's sovereignty.

The party's Bangalore conclave is being used as a platform to make public its stand on the controversial India-US civil nuclear deal. It is expected that BJP would use its opposition to the nuke-deal as an issue in the forthcoming elections to denounce the government.

After recent electoral wins particularly in Karnataka, a confident BJP is gearing up for the forthcoming elections in full gear.

ANI