Sonia leads party in hailing deal
Congress pat itself on the back after US Cong passed the N-deal.
By ET Bureau |
| Congress president Sonia Gandhi |
NEW DELHI: Under pressure over internal security issues, the Congress on Thursday got the much-need opportunity to pat itself on the back after US Congress passed the nuclear deal.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi led her party in greeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. ���The passage of the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement by the US Congress is a landmark development. I specially congratulate Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who has demonstrated a firm resolve in taking forward this bold initiative,��� Ms Gandhi said in a statement.
Praising the efforts of Mr Singh, the UPA chairperson said the agreement marks the successful culmination of a process initiated by the PM in July 2005, guided by India���s supreme national interest, which the Congress has throughout endorsed.
That the Congress was all set to use the N-deal as a big election plank playing up the theme of energy security became clear when Ms Gandhi described the passage of the deal as a landmark mutually rewarding for India and the international community that will help in addressing the twin challenges of energy security and climate change.
���This historic step as well as the NSG exemption has opened the door for India to enter into civil nuclear co-operation with US and other major countries with advanced technologies, including France, Russia and UK. It will contribute immensely in augmenting the much needed energy generation capacity for agriculture and in meeting our developmental objectives���.
Ms Gandhi also complimented the nuclear scientists of the country who made India self reliant in nuclear technology. ���Our nuclear scientists, under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi made India self reliant in nuclear technology despite a discriminatory regime and denial of technology for over three decades,��� she added.
Taking a cue from his leader, Congress general secretary M Verappa Moily said in Guwahati that the deal will address ���shortage of 3.7 lakh mw power.��� Elaborating on the benefits from the deal he said: ���The nuclear deal will help tackle even floods by getting into the system for receiving information from US.
Expensive nuclear medicines can now be manufactured here at a reasonable price, 101 benefits will flow,��� he said.
Taking a dig at the Opposition Mr Moily said: ������US has stood above party considerations with both Obama and McCain favouring the deal as senators last night. A total 44 countries voted for the deal. Why cannot parties in our country rise above political interest and sink their differences in the interest of the country.���
The Congress establishment had to craftily negotiate many domestic political minefields and diplomatic bottlenecks on the deal before making a bonfire of many premature and motivated obituaries on the deal.
Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal set the tone for the Congress��� election slogan over the deal. ���I cannot think of a similar foreign policy achievement for a long time.
The minister added that the Congress had risked the survival of the government to get the deal through, using a line that the party has begun to use increasingly in its statements on the nuclear deal.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi led her party in greeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. ���The passage of the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement by the US Congress is a landmark development. I specially congratulate Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who has demonstrated a firm resolve in taking forward this bold initiative,��� Ms Gandhi said in a statement.
Praising the efforts of Mr Singh, the UPA chairperson said the agreement marks the successful culmination of a process initiated by the PM in July 2005, guided by India���s supreme national interest, which the Congress has throughout endorsed.
That the Congress was all set to use the N-deal as a big election plank playing up the theme of energy security became clear when Ms Gandhi described the passage of the deal as a landmark mutually rewarding for India and the international community that will help in addressing the twin challenges of energy security and climate change.
���This historic step as well as the NSG exemption has opened the door for India to enter into civil nuclear co-operation with US and other major countries with advanced technologies, including France, Russia and UK. It will contribute immensely in augmenting the much needed energy generation capacity for agriculture and in meeting our developmental objectives���.
Ms Gandhi also complimented the nuclear scientists of the country who made India self reliant in nuclear technology. ���Our nuclear scientists, under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi made India self reliant in nuclear technology despite a discriminatory regime and denial of technology for over three decades,��� she added.
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Taking a cue from his leader, Congress general secretary M Verappa Moily said in Guwahati that the deal will address ���shortage of 3.7 lakh mw power.��� Elaborating on the benefits from the deal he said: ���The nuclear deal will help tackle even floods by getting into the system for receiving information from US.
Expensive nuclear medicines can now be manufactured here at a reasonable price, 101 benefits will flow,��� he said.
Taking a dig at the Opposition Mr Moily said: ������US has stood above party considerations with both Obama and McCain favouring the deal as senators last night. A total 44 countries voted for the deal. Why cannot parties in our country rise above political interest and sink their differences in the interest of the country.���
The Congress establishment had to craftily negotiate many domestic political minefields and diplomatic bottlenecks on the deal before making a bonfire of many premature and motivated obituaries on the deal.
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Making Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the hero of the Indo-US nuclear deal story, the Congress said it was a ���historic moment��� for India for it had joined the nuclear club without signing restrictive treaties such as NPT and CTBT.Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal set the tone for the Congress��� election slogan over the deal. ���I cannot think of a similar foreign policy achievement for a long time.
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So, I think he (the PM) will be remembered for it. Ms Sonia Gandhi will be remembered for having led the party and supporting the PM at this juncture,��� he said.The minister added that the Congress had risked the survival of the government to get the deal through, using a line that the party has begun to use increasingly in its statements on the nuclear deal.
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