The Hindu : Front Page : Advani seeks concerted opposition

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Tuesday, Aug 14, 2007
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Advani seeks concerted opposition

Neena Vyas

Manmohan pretended in his statement as if the Hyde Act did not exist: Sinha, Shourie

Nuclear debate in Parliament likely to be taken up on August 20
Advani speaks to Karat, leaders of other parties

— Photo: PTI/ Vijay Verma

Making a point: BJP leaders Yashwant Sinha (right) and Arun Shourie at a press briefing in New Delhi on Monday.

NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani has sought the cooperation of Left and other parties to take on the Government on the nuclear agreement with the United States.

Copies of a fresh notice by Mr. Advani for a discussion under a rule that mandates a vote were sent to Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat and Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, BJP deputy leader in the Lok Sabha V.K. Malhotra told The Hindu.

Earlier, the former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha confirmed that Mr. Advani spoke to Mr. Karat and leaders of other parties seeking coordination in Parliament on the issue.

The notice under Rule 184 has been sent by Mr. Advani and other NDA leaders, including Prabhunath Singh and Anant Geete. In the Rajya Sabha too, a notice was given by BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi under Rule 168 that entails a vote demanding that the agreement be rejected.

Mr. Malhotra said the BJP notice in the Lok Sabha focused on the need to renegotiate the deal on the basis of earlier assertion by the Prime Minister. This became necessary as the words of the earlier notice were not found to be in order and would, therefore, invite rejection.

The nuclear debate is likely to be taken up next week – at the Business Advisory Committee attached to the Lok Sabha it was decided on Monday that the grim flood situation would be discussed on August 14 and 16 (on August 15 there is only a special session in the evening), August 17 being Friday would be devoted to private members’ business. If the presiding officers of the two Houses were to admit the notices for discussion they would be taken up on August 20.

On the Prime Minister’s statement on Monday, BJP leaders Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie said Dr. Singh had ignored the sequence of legislative action in the U.S. “and has pretended in his statement as if the Hyde Act does not exist.”

Later, while talking to The Hindu, Mr. Sinha agreed that the discrepancies and contradictions between the 123 agreement with India and the Hyde Act would have to be dealt with by the United States. Both were binding on America and o nly the 123 agreement would bind India, he said.

Describing the Prime Minister’s statement as a bundle of “untruths, half-truths and pure white lies,” Mr. Sinha said the party would continue to oppose the deal inside and outside Parliament.

Mr. Shourie pointed out in the case of the agreement between the U.S. and China, there was a specific clause that said domestic laws cannot be invoked and the agreement was described as cooperation between two nuclear weapon States.

Both these points were absent in the agreement with India.

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