The Hindu Business Line : Assurances on nuke deal do not convince Left, BJP

New Delhi, Dec. 5 The Left parties and the opposition BJP remained unconvinced about the assurances made by the Government during the course of the marathon debate on the Indo-US nuclear deal in Rajya Sabha.

Left members joined the BJP and the Third Front on Wednesday in staging a walkout, insisting that the sense of the House be taken.

The CPI(M) leader, Mr Sitaram Yechury, who initiated the debate, said, “I am not fully convinced. My opposition to the deal continues. Majority of the House does not agree with the deal.”

The Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, Mr Jaswant Singh, questioned the “hurry” with which the Government was proceeding to implement the deal.

“Wait a bit. Carry the people and Parliament with you. It is clear from yesterday’s debate that a large part of the House is not with you,” he said.

In response, the External Affairs Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, said, “there is no reason, they have no case.”

In a bid to allay apprehensions of Left parties as well as the Opposition, particularly on India retaining the right to conduct future tests, Mr Mukherjee said the deal will have no impact on strategic or foreign policy of the country.

Earlier, replying to the marathon debate, Mr Mukherjee said, “We have never said we will not take the sense of the House, let the process be complete. We have begun the process and it is not complete yet.”

Responding to allegations that India’s foreign policy was being affected by the Indo-US nuclear deal in the context of India’s vote against Iran at the IAEA, Mr Mukherjee said, “There is no denying the fact that we voted at IAEA against Iran.

“The intention was to ensure that its nuclear issue does not go to the Security Council as it would entail sanctions and more problems”.