NEW DELHI, 18 August 2007 — Political differences over the Indo-US civil nuclear deal continued to rock the Parliament yesterday with ruling alliance deputies staging protests leading to adjournments of proceedings over a senior opposition leader’s virulent attack against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Left MPs, who have denounced the nuclear deal, were united yesterday with the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) when Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi demanded an apology from National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convener George Fernandes for his remarks against the prime minister.
Fernandes was quoted as saying in a newspaper that if Manmohan was China’s head of government, he would have been shot for “bluffing” to the nation about the nuclear deal with the US.
“He should apologize or the house should condemn (his remarks),” Dasmunshi said amid shouting from Congress MPs.
Although Chatterjee said he could not force Fernandes to apologize for a statement he had made outside the Lok Sabha, the MPs continued to protest leading to an abrupt adjournment of the proceedings just before lunch. When the house reconvened, Congress MPs continued to insist on an apology and the house was again adjourned till 3.30 p.m., but only to take up the private members bills.
The lower house of the Parliament has the right to discuss the Indo-United States nuclear deal but not to reject the same and/or authorize its renegotiation. This was categorically stated yesterday by Chatterjee in response to notices given by three legislators on the statement Manmohan made this Monday on the deal. Three identical notices were given by leader of opposition L.K. Advani, Santosh Gangwar (Bharatiya Janata Party) and Ram Gopal Yadav (Samajwadi Party). Chatterjee allowed a discussion on the deal Monday under rule 193 of the parliamentary proceedings, which will not entail any voting, contrary to the demand made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This is subject to the availability of Manmohan in the house.
The Rajya Sabha also witnessed repeated adjournments over the “insulting” remarks against Manmohan.
Earlier, Chatterjee clarified that it was the right of the central government to enter into treaties and agreements with foreign countries. “Any such treaty or agreement becomes effective without any intervention by Parliament,” Chatterjee said.
Meanwhile, uncertainty over the stability of the Manmohan government appeared to have ended yesterday as Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) General Secretary Prakash Karat indicated that the left would continue to support the ruling UPA.
As the CPI-M politburo began a two-day meeting to discuss the left strategy in the wake of its objection to the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, Karat said: “The honeymoon may be over but the relationship can continue.”
He was referring to Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary A.B. Bardhan’s remark Thursday that the honeymoon between the UPA and the left was over and that the withdrawal of left support to the government was imminent.
The left parties, which provide outside support to the government, have rejected the nuclear deal saying they did not want India to enter into a strategic alliance with the US.
