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Saturday, Sep 01, 2007
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No JPC on nuclear deal, says Pranab

Special Correspondent

Not an issue between Congress and Left: BJP

NEW DELHI: The Government on Friday rejected the Opposition demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the India-U.S. nuclear deal even as both Houses of Parliament witnessed uproarious scenes over the announcement of a committee to sort out the differences between the Congress and the Left parties.

Making a statement in the Lok Sabha on Friday, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said there would be no JPC on the deal since no international agreement had ever been subjected to the scrutiny of Parliament.

“Breach of privilege”

His statement came after the House witnessed uproarious scenes with the Opposition protesting against the announcement of the committee, describing it as a breach of privilege as Parliament was in session.

“This is an internal arrangement between the United Progressive Alliance and the Left,” Mr. Mukherjee said amid loud protests by the Opposition. Members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) trooped into the well of the House, forcing Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to adjourn the House until noon.

Raising the matter during question hour, Vijay Kumar Malhotra of the Bharatiya Janata Party said that announcing any committee when the House was in session and seized of the matter amounted to breach of privilege. “The Prime Minister has already said that there would be a discussion on the deal in Parliament; the issue cannot be treated as a family matter between the Congress and the Left parties,” he said and demanded the setting up of a JPC.

Dasmunsi’s stand

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said the committee was not a government committee, but a set-up between the coalition partners to sort out differences. The Government was aware that the matter was the property of the House, and it was committed to a debate. All political parties would be taken into confidence before the “final shaping [up] of things.”

When the House re-assembled at noon, Mr. Malhotra said Mr. Mukherjee’s reply was not satisfactory and the government should withdraw the committee.

Attempts by Mr. Chatterjee to pacify the Opposition failed as the NDA members once again trooped into the well, forcing the second adjournment.

Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha also; it saw four adjournments and no business except the tabling of papers. Here, the protest was led by Sushma Swaraj (BJP) and Amar Singh (SP). Members of these parties demanded a JPC and protested against the “insult” to the House.

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