Congress accuses BJP of "double speak" on Indo-US nuke deal

NEW DELHI: Congress today accused BJP of doing a "U Turn" and "double-speak" over the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement questioning why it had opposed the measure when UPA government was pushing for the deal.

The reaction by Congress came as India and the US yesterday reached a breakthrough on the stalled civil nuclear agreement by agreeing on commercial cooperation and decided to take defence cooperation to a new level including on upgrading domestic defence industry and advanced technologies.

"Another U Turn by BJP. Now taking credit for the very Amendments in the Nuclear Bill which they opposed! Masters of U Turns and Double Speak," party general secretary Digvijay Singh today tweeted.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel had last night said on Twitter "For 10 years BJP opposed http://n-deal.Today before they claim credit let it be known what a destructive opposition they have been #Uturn..""

Accusing BJP of "political chicanery" on the matter, former Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari tweeted "BJP said Indo-US Nuclear Deal compromised India's sovereignty. If that is true, why is BJP bending over backwards to operationalize it now?

In another tweet, Tewari said,"Political Chicanery- after bringing no confidence on the Nuclear & denigrating democracy, BJP finds it as the only peg to hang their coat on..."

Congress MP from Haryana Deepender Hooda posted the puported statements of BJP veteran L K Advani on the Indo-US nuclear deal to hammer home the point.

"Advaniji, Lok Sabha July21,08:"IndoUS Nuclear Deal is detrimental to India,& so we are going to bring this Gov down"& 6yrs later :) next-FDI?","he tweeted.