Saturday, March 11 2006 16:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Government came in for sharp criticism in the Rajya Sabha today(Mar 11,2006) over the Indo-US nuclear deal with the main opposition BJP accusing it of compromising national sovereignity.

Initiating a discussion on the issue, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said the March two Indo-US joint statement was far from protecting the 'enlightened national interest'.

"It seems that sovereignty, nuclear parity and reciprocity have been compromised", Joshi said. The former Union Minister wanted to know as to what happened to the assurances and promises made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh days before signing of the Indo-US Civilian Nuclear Cooperation agreement that India's national interests would be fully safeguarded.

Strongly defending the agreement, senior Congress leader Karan Singh described it as a landmark deal which would bring about technology transfer on nuclear power.

Noting that there were some differences among political parties on the issue, CPI-M leader Nilotpal Basu said it was important that government evolve a national consensus on the issue.

Contending that India has not not benefitted from the agreement, Joshi said "US offerred arms worth five billion dollars if India signed the Civil-Nuclear agreement."

He said it was also not based on reciprocity of "Give and take. I think U.S. want India to take initiatives which could be followed by it later".

Joshi said that an impression was being given that India was a nuclear power state and should carry on the same responsibility as was being done by other nuclear power states including the United States.

He also regretted the level on which negotiations were conducted between the two sides, saying even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh discussed the matter with Nicholas Burns, a 'low level official'.

Prime Minister Singh, who was present in the House, got up immediately and clarified that he never held discussions with Burns, but only received him when he visited India.

"I have had no discussion with Burns. I only received him here," he said.

Joshi also questioned the level of strategic partnership between the two countries and said if China, despite having competitive relationship, can get nuclear technology for its civilian programmes without entering into any agreement, then why not India.

He also wanted Prime Minister to clarify whether India is a 'client state' on Nuclear issue, saying statements in this regard were made in the US. The Prime Minister denied it

Joshi said the agreement was signed after repeated consultations with the US which showed that 'our decision is not sovereign'.