Yechury saw in the deal moves by the US not to allow India reach a stage where its scientists could use Thorium as a nuclear fuel in fast breeder reactors. He categorically asked the government what was the need to go for a costly option like N-deal when cheaper options available.
Allegation and counter allegations were made by Communist and BJP on the floor of elder house today on 4 December 2007 on 123 agreement draft of civil nuclear deal,the two former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and Dr Man Mohan Singh now Prime Minister were found flouting remarks at each other.Debate on the subject brought Government tonight under sharp attack from its key allies Left parties as also the opposition.
Damage control act was done by Science and technology Federal minister Mr Kapil Sibal who gave threadbare description of Hyde Act applicability clause and International Law as soon as the draft assumes the International agreement or treaty.In case of default from either side the compensation clause which allows the US to take back their total tech-material is still to hound the members.
Arun Shouri who took the support of Planning commission documents to prove that the civil nuclear agreement is untenable without any proper planning and the statistical report submitted by the planning commission does not have any methodology to arrive to their conclusions.
Members of Left too pointed out that our foreign policy of NAM is being trampled and our inclination to US is unwarranted as we shall stood as subordinate to their rule of law.
Debate to continue for another day as still the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister has to speak on the subject 123 civil nuclear draft agreement and the question of India"s non Participation in gas pipeline project of Iran, Pakistan and India.
However the Federal Minister Mr Kapil Sibal assured the house Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had extracted the best possible deal for the country and ‘India is too big and too proud to be subjugated by the US foreign policy," He said “ that country is making indigenous 240 mega watt Nuclear reactors but to get to higher reactors of the range of 500 ,1000 MW we need to associate ourselves with NSG 40 members conglomerate to be able to sell our expertise and reactors of 240 MG and get to the higher capacity one from the nuclear supplier states.With this arrangements we are open to world of latest technology in satellite,cars,atomic fuel processing materials".
Left said the draft agreement still has some loophole which needs to be plugged.
Discussion witnessed UPA projecting a united face with DMK"s Kanimozhi as also NCP"s Supriya Sule making a strong defence of the deal joined by eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani whose remarks created an uproar.
A Going soft on the deal last week, Samajwadi Party today opposed it saying the Prime Minister"s pursuing the deal was “not honourable and should be scrapped".It showed a shift in SP"s stand as the party leader in Lok Sabha Ram Gopal Yadav had said that going back on the agreement would harm the country"s credibility.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee would reply tomorrow to the discussion which saw BJP and the Left fielding their most articulate speakers in Yashwant Sinha and Sitaram Yechury seeking to corner the government.
The Prime Minister, who sat through parts of the debate, dismissed as “false" the charge that India came under American pressure in not signing agreements with Russia for atomic power reactors for Koodankulam project.
“It has always been understood that the agreements for four additional reactors (for Koodankulam atomic power project) could be signed only after India got the approval from IAEA for India-specific safeguards and work out with the NSG issues that are under discussion," he said in a brief intervention.
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