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Nuclear deal : Centre’s no to “Sense of House” resolution

	August 07, 2006

The Manmohan Singh Government has again made it clear that it is opposed to any “Sense of the House” resolution on India-US civilian nuclear deal. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said on Thursday, August 3, that while discussions are going on with the Left and other parties, the Government is sticking to its position of a `Big No’ to a resolution.



While efforts were still on to arrive at a consensus and only three working days in Parliament this week, the discussion on the issue or a statement from the Prime Minister would have to wait for next week, he said.



Dasmunsi said if the parties wanted a debate on the issue and a response from the Prime Minister, the Government was willing. If they wanted a statement from the Prime Minister followed by a discussion or clarifications, that too would be considered. But it was “no” to a resolution. “The Government will not be party to any resolution on the subject,” he said.



He emphasised the Congress had “absolute faith” in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and, therefore, there could be no question of a resolution.





Rajya Sabha may have a short-duration discussion



With the Left sending a signal that in case there is no consensus on the resolution draft, they would accept a statement from the Prime Minister giving his assurances on the nuclear issue. The Rajya Sabha may have a short-duration discussion this week. The format and date of the discussion is to be finalised depending upon Dr. Manmohan Singh’s schedule. Official sources said that the Prime Minister’s reply would wrap up the discussion.



Commenting on the decision to drop the resolution move, the Left MP said, “Our only intention was to put across that issues relating to national security will not be compromised” in any international deal.



Sources say that the major areas of concern about the nuclear deal expressed by the CPI (M) and other Left parties had been taken cognizance of by the Government and are likely to find place in the statement to be made by the Prime Minister to reflect the sense of Parliament on the matter. The CPI(M) has come out with a detailed note on departures by the US Senate and House of representatives in their recent draft laws from the July 18, 2005 agreement between Dr Manmohan Singh and US President George Bush. Among the issues raised by the Left that are likely to be accepted is that India will have full access to civilian technology and that Washington should lift all sanctions imposed on the supply of dual use technology to India.



The Prime Minister is likely to assert that the country will not accept any restriction on its foreign policy as against what has been pointed out in a US House resolution that India’s policy was congruent to that of the US.



Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a meeting with a CPI delegation on Wednesday, August 2, is reported to have said that he was not in favour of the Left joining hands with the BJP in opposing the Indo-US civil nuclear deal. Dr. Manmohan Singh is reported to have said that if the Left joins the BJP, it would mean the end of the day, implying that it could trigger fissures in the UPA.



The CPI delegation headed by Gurudas Dasgupta said that the party will not join hands with the BJP in bringing a resolution on the Indo-US nuclear deal in Parliament. Dasgupta told a news conference on August 3 that they would not be seen in the company of the BJP, but at the same time would like the Prime Minister to issue a statement taking into account the Left’s concerns.





Congress busy rallying support



The party managers of the Congress, in the meantime, have been busy mobilizing support for the Government’s stand on the nuclear deal. RJD leader and Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav met Congress president Sonia Gandhi along with party MPs and pledged complete support on the nuclear issue. He told Sonia Gandhi who is also UPA chairperson that he would stand behind the Congress like a rock. Later he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to deliver the same message of support.





Some UPA constituents may ally with the BJP



The entire opposition along with some Constituents of the UPA forced two adjournments in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, August 3 on the demand for a unanimous Parliament resolution or a statement on the Indo-US nuclear deal. The BJP on the prompting of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has decided to press strongly for a sense of parliament resolution on the Indo-US nuclear deal. The BJP Parliamentary Board meeting on Tuesday, August 1, witnessed Vajpayee coming out in support of the sense of Parliament resolution. He reportedly said that it was imperative for the party to present a united face on issues like the nuclear deal because divisions were not helping its image.





Natwar mobilising parties against nuclear deal



Isolated in the Congress in the wake of the Pathak authority findings, former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh is reported to be mobilizing political parties opposed to the India-US nuclear deal.

Natwar Singh had a dinner meeting with Samajwadi Party and Janata Dal (United) leaders Amar Singh and Digvijay Singh on Friday. He is slated to meet SP, CPI (M) and BJP leaders to fine-tune opposition to the U.S. legislation to implement the deal.



Meanwhile, the Congress Core Group including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party chief Sonia Gandhi met on Saturday to discuss the political fallout of the Pathak report and also the strategy to be adopted on the nuclear deal issue.



Natwar Singh’s position in the Congress appeared to be becoming increasingly untenable with a section saying that he could be helping in the formation of an anti-Congress third front by “hobnobbing” with parties such as the SP which are bitter about Sonia Gandhi.





CPI(M) politburo for full discussion



The two-day CPI(M) Politburo meeting which ended in New Delhi on July 30, came out in favour of a full discussion on the Indo-US nuclear deal in Parliament where ways should be found to express the sense of Parliament. Party general secretary Prakash Karat said later that the sense of Parliament should be expressed so that parameters of the agreement are in conformity with India’s interest and are spelt out. He said if the US Congress could discuss the agreement clause by clause, why should Indian Parliament not discuss it ?



Asked if the CPI(M) had been talking to the BJP on the issue, he said that even when the BJP was in office, the CPI(M) talked to the then Government about Iraq and other issues.



The Politburo denounced the terrorist outrage in Mumbai. Strengthening of the intelligence network and better coordination among the security agencies were necessary to uncover the terrorists and check such violence.



The party expressed concern over the rise in prices of essential commodities, and demanded a ban on forward trading and speculative activity in this area.



The Israeli aggression in Lebanon was strongly criticised by the Politburo, which also pointed out the Bush administration’s role in preventing a ceasefire call by the Europeans.





Increasing tilt towards US : Jyoti Basu



Veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu has said that the Centre seems to be increasingly tilting towards the US Government and is not keeping to an independent foreign policy line spelt out in the Common Minimum Programme. Speaking in Kolkata on Saturday, August 5 at a function to commemorate the 118th birth anniversary of Muzaffar Ahmed, founder of the Communist Movement in the country, Basu said that during his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month he had said that it was not the intention of the CPI(M) to topple the UPA Government at the Centre. “Give us a chance to support you - but you must not allow your government to be dictated by the United States,” Basu told the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister said that his Government was not pro-US, but was only having talks with them (Americans) to seek their cooperation on matters relating to Industry and the like.