Saturday, March 11 2006 17:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Left Front today(Mar 11,2006) suggested setting up of a Parliamentary Committee to act as an advisory body to the Government on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The suggestion was made in the Rajya Sabha by CPI(M) member Nilotpal Basu who called for broad structural engagement across political, technical and scientific spectrum before full parameters of the deal were finalised.

The CPM suggestion was backed by the Samajwadi Party whose member Shahid Sidiqqui said the proposed Committee could work on the pattern of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). The move assumes significance with both the parties backing the UPA Government from outside.

"US Congress is taking its sweet time in ratifying the deal. Why should the Indian Parliament hurry its scrutiny of the deal, which would have far reaching ramifications," Basu said while cautioning that US Energy Act, which would govern supply of nuclear fuel to India was very restrictive.

Terming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assertions that the proposed Indo-US nuclear deal must be acceptable to Parliament and public opinion here as an 'escape route', the CPM member said this could pave the way for setting up of a special Parliamentary committee to guide the Government on the issue.

While, saying that Left front did not question the competence of the Prime Minister to deal with the issue, Basu called for a 'national consensus' to emerge on the issue.