By IANS
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not likely to stall parliament over the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal in the winter session of parliament beginning in the second week of November.
BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad gave a clear indication Friday of a change of tone and tenor in the party.
Asked whether the BJP would allow a debate to be held this time, Prasad said, “We are all for a debate.”
Meanwhile, BJP leader and Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani met U. S. Amassador David C. Mulford Wednesday. Advani was not available for any comment on the meeting.
During the budget session, the BJP had not allowed a discussion on the nuclear deal by insisting on a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on it and voting on the deal as a condition for allowing a debate to be held.
Avoiding a direct reply on a possible change of strategy, Prasad said: “Our strategy for a debate will be decided by the parliamentary party.”
Asked if the BJP would insist on a debate under Rule 184 of the Lok Sabha that involves voting, Prasad said: “We have several alternatives, we will see later.”
He also clarified, “Our issue is different from the Left. We are for close friendship with the US. The Left has an ideological difference with the US. The BJP wants good friendly relations with the US. We oppose the deal because it compromises our strategic autonomy and our nuclear sovereignty.”
But former union minister Arun Shourie, who piloted the BJP’s views and objections to the nuclear deal, did not seem impressed by the Mulford-Advani meeting and was not inclined to change his views on the issue. He told IANS: “As far as I know, the party has taken a stand studying the deal for over two years in the strategic interests of the country.”