The Hindu : Front Page : A one-sided pact: V.P. Singh

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Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007
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A one-sided pact: V.P. Singh

Special Correspondent

Manmohan accused of concealing vital facts

India given only a consultation right
Will of people’s representatives should prevail

LUCKNOW: The Jan Morcha leader and former Prime Minister, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, on Tuesday, accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of concealing vital facts pertaining to the India-United States nuclear deal in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Mr. Singh rejected the Prime Minister’s contention that the U.S. would exercise no controls on India.

Supporting the Left stand that the agreement should not be operationalised, the Jan Morcha leader said it was totally one-sided, with the decision making powers vested with the U.S. He said India had been given only a consultation right. At a press conference here, Mr. Singh said the will of the people’s representatives should prevail.

He said democracy would be endangered if the executive were to get the better of the legislature.

On Dr. Manmohan Singh’s statement that the nuclear deal was accorded Cabinet approval, he said the Cabinet consisted of the Prime Minister’s representatives, whereas Parliament represented the will of the people.

Mr. Singh said that while in the case of the U.S.-China nuclear agreement international law would prevail should there be a dispute, in the India-U.S. nuclear deal the national law of the U.S. (governed by the Hyde Act) would prevail. This meant that if India were to conduct a nuclear test then it would be accountable to the U.S., Mr. Singh added. He said the agreement could be abrogated by the U.S. by serving a one-year notice.

The Jan Morcha, he added, was opposed to the deal.

Land acquisition

Referring to the acquisition of land by business houses, the Jan Morcha demanded the amendment of the Land Acquisition Act to enable industrialists to purchase land directly from the farmers.

He said a meeting of farmers’ organisation from all over the country would be held in New Delhi, on August 18, at which the future strategy would be chalked out.

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