Putting an end to doubts on BJP’s ‘shift’ on the Indo-US nuclear deal, the three top party leaders on Wednesday sought ‘re-negotiation’ of the agreement as ‘it compromises long term strategic programmes’ of  the country.

In a signed statement Leader of Opposition  in the Lok Sabha L K Advani , BJP President Rajnath Singh and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh described the nuclear agreement as “a significant strategic blunder” of the UPA government.

The senior BJP leaders recalled their recent meetings with several persons including former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, US Ambassador David Mulford, Mr M K Narayanan, National Security Adviser and Dr Anil Kakodkar to discuss various aspects of the Nuclear Deal.

They said the BJP’s position was put across them with the following points:

1. The BJP has been and continues to be of the view that the UPA Government has made a significant strategic blunder by turning this deal into a kind of an icon of India’s relations with the US.

2. The BJP has consistently stood for close Indo-US cooperation and strategic partnership as between two equal sovereigns.

3. The party stands opposed to the deal because “in our view, it compromises long term strategic programmes of India, vital for country’s security; neither will it help meet our energy needs of future”.

4. Therefore, the BJP strongly recommends that this deal must be renegotiated and not hustled through as the UPA Government is attempting to.

The categorical statement has come close to the start of the winter session of Parliament on November 15.
The Parliament is expected to discussion the controversial deal between the two large democracy.