Advani debunks ‘course correction’, says BJP always opposed nuke deal
Leader of Opposition LK Advani on Thursday poured cold water on the nuclear deal enthusiasts’ efforts to project his recent assertions on the issue as a course correction by the BJP.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition LK Advani on Thursday poured cold water on the nuclear deal enthusiasts’ efforts to project his recent assertions on the issue as a course correction by the BJP. The former deputy prime minister, who made it clear that the deal was unacceptable as it “will not push the country into a strategic friendship with the US but a strategic subservience to Washington”, said the 123 Agreement in its present form will not get the backing of the BJP.
In his recent media intervention on the issue, Mr Advani had made three points. One, unlike the Left, his party’s opposition to the deal was not guided by out-dated anti-Americanism. “It is anti-Americanism which propels the Left to oppose a nuclear ship docked at Chennai port. So far as the BJP is concerned it is in the national interest that we have no objection to a strategic partnership with the US.
This includes the forthcoming joint naval exercises,” he said. Second, the deal in its present form was an agreement between “unequals” and the BJP objected to such “strategic subservience”. And this was not acceptable to the BJP. And lastly, Mr Advani said the nuclear deal can gain support if the government amends the Atomic Energy Act to protect India’s strategic independence. But this would mean renegotiation of the 123 Agreement — something that the US has already ruled out.
The deal enthusiasts used these assertions of the Opposition leader — a reiteration of his party viewpoint — to claim that there was a rethink in the BJP on the deal. Mr Advani sought to banish this perception when he told the parliamentary party meeting this morning that the 123 Agreement was the first step towards operationalising the Hyde Act and the other US laws.
“Several of the requirements of those laws have been built into the 123 Agreement. Moreover, the Agreement specifically provides that, in implementing it, the party concerned — the US in this case— shall be governed by its national laws. Hence, provisions of the Hyde Act, the 1954 Atomic Energy Act, and other relevant laws shall apply with full force,’’ Mr Advani said, while reading out from a prepared text.
In his recent media intervention on the issue, Mr Advani had made three points. One, unlike the Left, his party’s opposition to the deal was not guided by out-dated anti-Americanism. “It is anti-Americanism which propels the Left to oppose a nuclear ship docked at Chennai port. So far as the BJP is concerned it is in the national interest that we have no objection to a strategic partnership with the US.
This includes the forthcoming joint naval exercises,” he said. Second, the deal in its present form was an agreement between “unequals” and the BJP objected to such “strategic subservience”. And this was not acceptable to the BJP. And lastly, Mr Advani said the nuclear deal can gain support if the government amends the Atomic Energy Act to protect India’s strategic independence. But this would mean renegotiation of the 123 Agreement — something that the US has already ruled out.
The deal enthusiasts used these assertions of the Opposition leader — a reiteration of his party viewpoint — to claim that there was a rethink in the BJP on the deal. Mr Advani sought to banish this perception when he told the parliamentary party meeting this morning that the 123 Agreement was the first step towards operationalising the Hyde Act and the other US laws.
“Several of the requirements of those laws have been built into the 123 Agreement. Moreover, the Agreement specifically provides that, in implementing it, the party concerned — the US in this case— shall be governed by its national laws. Hence, provisions of the Hyde Act, the 1954 Atomic Energy Act, and other relevant laws shall apply with full force,’’ Mr Advani said, while reading out from a prepared text.
Mr Advani said the position of the BJP on this issue has been stated consistently and unambiguously in a series of statements over the last two years. “Each of these statements has been fully deliberated upon and approved by senior leaders under the guidance of Mr A B Vajpayee.These are the statements that my colleagues Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie were asked to release to the media. These statements embody the party’s considered view on every aspect of the deal. There is no change in that position,” he said.
The Leader of the Opposition made it clear that the provisions of the Hyde Act militated against India’s sovereignty — in particular, in regard to the conduct of our foreign policy. “When enforced, they will seriously impair our nuclear weapons programme, and thereby jeopardise our strategic objectives,” Mr Advani said.
The former BJP president favoured amending India’s domestic laws, such as the Atomic Energy Act, but only to enable the government to press for the re-negotiation of the 123 Agreement.
“A suggestion has been made recently that, as the domestic laws of the US are the ones that are causing the problem, we should examine whether we can alter our laws, such as the Atomic Energy Act, in such a way as to insulate our strategic objectives,” Mr Advani remarked, adding, “If that can be done, we should strengthen our laws, and, on the basis of those altered laws, renegotiate the 123 Agreement.”
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