New Delhi, September 26
The BJP today took strong exception to the Indian voting on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolution on Iran saying that it was amazed at the UPA government’s approach on Tehran which appears to be a clear shift in country’s nuclear policy.

“It is unbecoming of the government to hide behind officials, fielding them instead to answer, when the decision is fundamentally political,” former External Affairs Minister in the NDA government and now leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh said here.

Mr Singh said neither Prime Minister Manmohan Singh nor External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh had explained the reason to support the IAEA resolution of September 24, entitled “Agreement with Iran on the implementation of NPT safeguards.”

“The UPA government has surreptitiously engaged in a major recast of policy on this important issue, which directly affects our national security, too,” he said.

Seeking clarifications on as many as seven points, including the necessity to hold a meeting of IAEA in September when it was actually due in November, Mr Singh said, “The global nuclear order is in a state of flux. Which is why this UPA government’s mounting confusion on critical matters of security becomes extremely worrisome.”

Expressing regret over the government having not discussed the matter with the Opposition before signing the resolution on Iran in Vienna, he asked the UPA to “objectively” recognise international realities and take the country into confidence.

Mr Singh said there was a strong belief in the Opposition parties and in some UPA partners as well that this had been done under international pressure, particularly of the US, and the government must clarify its position.

India, he said, as a permanent member of the IAEA board would not have merely followed the initiative of others like that of the EU-3, UK, France and Germany and, therefore the BJP was of the view that the UPA government had effected “this major policy shift on the quiet, without adequate democratic consultations.”

“We have the right to information and the government must share all the facts with them and the country,” he said.

The former External Affairs Minister wanted to know that in India’s view what aspect of the NPT Agreement was violated by Iran.

He wondered whether the decision of the government was that of a Cabinet. If not where was the decision taken and by whom, he asked.

Besides the government must clear about doubts on whether this resolution tantamounts to redefining the NPT, but without any formal amendments of the treaty.

whether ‘clandestine acquisition’ of nuclear material by non-nuclear weapons states, non-nuclear Supplier Group was a violation of the NPT, if so, was this resolution discriminatory?

whether the government thinks that this resolution does not amount to attempting an enforcement of non-proliferation through a control over production of fissile material, but without any international treaty for it?

In addition the BJP would also like to know if the government had examined all the ramifications of such an approach for India’s own nuclear policy and security.

Coming down heavily on the Congress ally CPM, Mr Singh said the Communists must desist from continuing to get entangled in policy confusions.