Maintaining that his party was in favour of stronger relations with the US, party Vice President Yashwant Sinha said it could not come at the cost of national interest.
“In its present form, the deal is unacceptable to us. It is our duty to oppose the deal,” he told Karan Thapar’s Devil’s Advocate programme for CNN-IBN.
“We have clearly said that there are elements in the 123 agreement which are not acceptable to us and it is not merely the Hyde Act,” the former External Affairs minister said, while insisting that the deal would adversely affect the country’s minimum credible nuclear deterrent.
Asked whether BJP could change its stand if the government gives a guarantee that the deal will not impact India’s nuclear autonomy, he shot back, “what kind of assurance are you talking about? If their legislation flies in the face of such an assurance, will that assurance have any credibility?”
Little scope for change
The BJP leader said that “unless the Hyde Act is amended and 123 agreement is changed, we will not be able to ensure this”. He, however, saw “little scope” for any changes as the Americans have said that they are not going to renegotiate the deal. Maintaining that the BJP was in favour of better relations with the US, Sinha pointed out that “it is entirely wrong and even mischievous to suggest that because we advocate a better relationship with the US, we sacrifice our national interest and accept the deal.” He claimed that the Indo-US ties will be “completely ruined if the deal goes through.” He said his party will prefer a discussion in Parliament under a rule which entails voting and rubbished suggestions that his party will abstain from voting.
Sinha sought to make light of meetings US diplomats had with BJP leaders and said it would not be “polite” to turn down a request for a meeting by any American diplomat or former officials like Henry Kissinger to “explain” the issue. He disputed Kissinger’s suggestions that the deal’s failure will adversely impact India’s image. He asked whether America’s reputation went down when it did not sign the Kyoto Protocol and its Congress rejected the CTBT.
He defended the party’s decision to accept JD(S) support in Karnataka, saying that party with a difference does not mean that if power comes knocking at the door, you refuse.