Cong to take on Modi Govt in Parl on Nuke deal issue; to seek details

New Delhi, Jan 28: Congress will take on the government in Parliament on the Indo-US nuclear deal during the Budget session and will demand details of the assurances given by it for resolving the seven-year-old logjam.

The party noted that the government has kept all the details of assurances given to the US side "vague" and just announced the resolution of the deadlock during US President

's visit here.

The party at the same time made it clear that it was not opposing the finalisation of the agreement as the "Indo-US nuclear deal was scripted by the UPA, which the BJP then opposed but finally adopted".

"Government must inform Parliament about the assurances on the commercial component of the agreement it reached, the financial liability clause and the compensation part. We do not have the fine print of the assurances given as yet.

"They have kept it vague so far. Government has not shared the details and it must place them before Parliament," Deputy Leader of Congress in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma told PTI.

Sharma at the same time said that his party was not opposing the agreement as such as the Indo-US nuclear deal was UPA's baby. India and the US reached an understanding on resolving the logjam in implementing the landmark civil nuclear deal on January 25, which was announced jointly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US President Obama here.

They reached the "breakthrough" on the stalled civil nuclear agreement by agreeing on commercial cooperation. Congress has so far reacted cautiously to the development, saying it would have to see the fine print on whether Modi has addressed issues raised by the US within India's legal framework and sought details as to how the difficulties were overcome.

Congress members will raise the issue in both Houses when the Budget session begins on February 23 and will ask the government to inform Parliament of the assurances that have been given, some party functionaries indicated, adding the issue could be raised during the debate on President's motion in the House on February 24 and 25.

Meanwhile, another senior party leader said the party will examine whether the assurances given by Modi government will require amendments in the deal signed earlier or were in consonance with India's stand.

"Government will have to make a statement on Obama visit. We will see whether the statement is made by Prime Minister Modi or External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. We will seek to know what breakthrough has been made," the leader said.

PTI