New Delhi, March 3
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will make a statement and give details of the Indo-US nuclear deal in Parliament on March 6.
Mr Pranab Mukherjee said the visit of US President George W. Bush was not yet over and the Prime Minister would make a statement on the issue next week.
Mr Manmohan Singh would make the statement on Monday, the first opportunity after the departure of the visiting US dignitary.
The issue was raised in both Houses, especially by UPA allies like Left parties and the SP, which accused the government of keeping the Parliament and the people in the dark over details of the nuclear deal.
They alleged that India had succumbed to US pressure and agreed to conditionalities which were not in the country’s interest.
Later talking to mediapersons, the CPI-M and the BJP demanded that the Prime Minister make a detailed statement and convince the Parliament about the merits of the nuclear deal.
The CPI-M leaders said they would like to seek an assurance from the government that independence of India’s nuclear programme and the principle of reciprocity had been maintained while signing the Indo-US nuclear deal.
The leaders also sought an explanation from the government on whether the agreement between the two countries on science and technology cooperation in agriculture and biotechnology would protect the interests of the Indian peasantry and the agriculture sector.
CPI-M leader Nilotpal Basu said, “We hope that three fundamental principles have been adhered to while signing the nuclear agreement. Otherwise it will be difficult for us to support the agreement.”
