NDA demands parliamentary panel to assess Indo-US nuclear deal

Commenting on the formation of an expert committee to look into the nuke deal concerns of Left parties, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) today demanded the appointment of a Parliamentary panel to study the pact.

New Delhi, Aug 20 : Commenting on the formation of an expert committee to look into the nuke deal concerns of Left parties, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) today demanded the appointment of a Parliamentary panel to study the pact.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman V K Malhotra said if any mechanism or committee had to be formed, it should involve all political parties.

"This is not a Congress or a Communist family affair. This is a matter of national interest. So, if some mechanism or committee has to be made, then a parliamentary committee has to be formed. A committee from both houses of Parliament should be formed in which people from all parties should be included. Until then, the government should not move forward with the nuke deal," Malhotra said.

He said that the BJP has no immediate plans of bringing a no-confidence motion against the Government.

Meanwhile, the Third Front or the UNPA has also demanded the setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to look into the matter.

Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh said: "The Government has said the treaty has been ratified by the Cabinet, which is a handful of people picked up by the Prime Minister, but since in a democracy like India, Parliament is supreme, the deal should be ratified by both houses."

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) had suggested the setting up a panel or mechanism to study the implications of the Hyde Act and putting any further progress on the nuclear on hold till it submits its report.

However, the UPA leadership, which met late Sunday and decided to set up the experts' panel, refused to put the deal on hold.

ANI