Thursday, December 22 2005 15:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha today (Dec 22, 2005) charged the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government with remaining a 'mute spectator' to the statements emanating from the US on the recent Indo-US nuclear deal.

Raising the issue during zero hour in Rajya Sabha, he said both countries agree to cooperate in the field of civilian nuclear energy on July 18 and increasingly all signals suggest from the US Congress that the 'goalpost is being shifted'.

The BJP member cited the remarks of US Congressman Tom Lantos who said that "India needed to be told in plain language and not in democratic language that either be with us or against us".

This was strongly objected to by Congress member Anand Sharma who said that the Prime Minister had already made it clear that there was no change in Government's stand.

"When Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran was abroad and negotiations were on, efforts were being made to misinterpret the agreement between the two countries," he said.

Observing that a well known expert in US had also objected to many aspects of the deal, Sinha said India was now being told to place either its nuclear safeguards in perpetuality with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in return of bilateral concessions which may or may not be available.

"This deal has already become unequal and should Parliament remain a mute spectator", he asked triggering a protest from treasury benches.

Joining the issue, Brinda Karat Communist Party of India (CPI) Marxist (M) said there were some crucial issues, which required to be taken and discussed in the House.

Noting that her party perceived a shift in the foreign policy, she said, "This Government only follows the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government's policy of surrender to the US".

Intervening on the issue, HRD Minister Arjun Singh said the crucial part of reciprocity has the definite meaning in the agreement.

Observing that the statements of two US Congressmen on the issue did not reflect the policy of that Government, he said all these issues could be addressed if the House decided to discuss them.

Nilotpal Basu (CPI-M) said that his party had already given notice for a discussion on the foreign policy.