New Delhi: Samajwadi Party today appeared to have softened its stand on the Indo-US nuclear deal, saying going back on the agreement would harm the country's credibility in the global arena. Participating in the debate on the nuclear deal in the Lok Sabha, SP leader Ramgopal Yadav appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to allay apprehensions on the agreement and take the support of his party and Parliament.

Noting that nobody could question the credibility of the Prime Minister, his patriotism, intellectual capabilities or dedication, he said when one went in for an agreement and then found it could not be pursued, it put one in a moral dilemma.

"So if the credibility of the Prime Minister is hurt, it is not just his credibility but the credibility of the country," Yadav, whose party has been sharply criticial of the deal, said.
 
He said if the government backed out on the deal, other countries would say India is not trustworthy. "So, I request you to clear the apprehensions regarding the deal and get the support of our party and Parliament," Yadav said.

He said fears have been expressed that the deal would infringe on India's sovereignty and this should be addressed by the government. He also referred to reports that energy generated in nuclear reactors would be six times more expensive than the energy derived from conventional sources.

Source : PTI