NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said it did not think a nuclear Iran was in India's interest. It, however, criticised the "gross mismanagement" of India's vote at the International Atomic Energy Agency against Teheran and the "unacceptable unilateralism" being pushed in the region by the United States.

The party did not oppose the India-U.S. nuclear deal of July 18, 2005 per se, but said the "flexibility" needed for "maintaining a minimum credible deterrent" must be retained to deal with "contingent situations" and the "changing threat scenario."

India should not accept any curb or cap on production of fissile material, but this could be "re-examined" when the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament evolves a fissile material cut-off treaty, and all nuclear weapon states agree to adhere to it.

The signals from Washington, it said, indicated that the U.S. wanted to cap India's fissile material production.

Leader of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh issued separate statements, clarifying the party's views on the two issues. The statements were critical of the Government on the handling of the Iran issue.

On Monday, after the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh made its position clear, it became obvious that the BJP would fall in line. The only problems that the RSS and the BJP seem to have with the United Progressive Alliance is that they perceive India's vote followed the U.S. pressure and India's fissile material production will be capped.

The statements followed a meeting of the executive of the party's parliamentary wing on Tuesday. There was a 90-minute meeting of senior leaders on Monday at the residence of the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani and Mr. Jaswant Singh were present at both meetings. Party president Rajnath Singh was present at the Monday meeting and Deputy Leaders in both Houses of Parliament V.K. Malhotra and Sushma Swaraj attended the Tuesday meeting.

The BJP found Iran guilty of "clear violation of its obligations and commitments under the Non-Proliferation Treaty."

The BJP took the Government and the Left to task for "permitting themselves to be hustled" into "voting in a particular manner" and "generating an impression that India has surrendered its sovereign rights."

Recalling the statements coming emanating from the U.S. and its Ambassador here, the statement said it appeared that as if New Delhi was being threatened. This "heightened [the] suspicion that the U.S. wishes to establish a hegemonistic relationship with India."

The party demanded a "full explanation" from the Government on both issues and criticised it for not holding consultations with the Opposition.

Finally, it welcomed the scheduled visit of U.S. President and hoped that the ties between the two nations would be back on a "balanced, and an equal and even keel."

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