Tuesday, April 11 2006 16:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ranchi: The BJP today (Apr 11, 2006) asked the Centre to withdraw from the nuclear deal with the United States saying the pact in its present form would cripple the country's nuclear capabilities.

At a news conference here, party chief Rajnath Singh said the Government should press the US to grant India the same waiver as given to China.

"This treaty is complicated and intriguing as it will require the country to act in accordance with US wishes while addressing security needs," Singh remarked.

The BJP leader, whose Bharat Suraksha Yatra entered its sixth day, said there should be no compromise on India's sovereignty and independent decision-making.

"India being a sovereign state has the right to decide as to what kind of nuclear deterrent New Delhi needs in respect of international security perception. Since India has already faced four attacks from Pakistan and one from China in the past it is all the more necessary to keep New Delhi's deterrent capabilities updated," he said.

India, he pointed out, was at present free to conduct nuclear tests as and when it felt necessary because it was not a signatory to the CTBT and the NPT yet.

"But the Indo-US nuclear energy deal will cripple India's nuclear capabilities," he warned. The BJP chief said Pakistan's ISI had created numerous secret cells in India.

Maoist of Nepal, he added, were also collaborating with naxalites with the help of the ISI. "India should demand an international watch on ISI," Singh said, calling Pakistan the world's 'terrorist capital.'