BJP-Cong 'deal' triggers protests from Left, RJD, SP

The BJP-Congress understanding on the nuclear liability bill today triggered strong protests from the Left parties, RJD and SP, which alleged that the "deal" was clearly aimed at bailing out Narendra Modi in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.

The BJP-Congress understanding on the nuclear liability bill on Wednesday triggered strong protests from the Left parties, RJD and SP, which alleged that the "deal" was clearly aimed at bailing out Narendra Modi in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.

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Division in the opposition ranks was clear as SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad hit out at the BJP and the Congress over the "deal" both inside and outside Parliament.

The charge was, however, quickly denied by BJP and the Congress.

BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy remarked, "as far as giving clean chit by CBI is concerned, RJD and SP can explain better how this arrangement of using CBI can be made with Congress. BJP does not have this art. They have mastered this."

BJP leader M Venkiah Naidu said the party was giving issue-based support to the bill, adding, "whatever concessions we had sought, were accepted by the government. When our demands were met, there was no point in opposing the Bill. Cornering government and seeking personal favours is not our style of working."

Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed also dismissed the insinuation by the Left, RJD and SP as absurd.

"This is absurd. There is absolutely no connection between the Nuclear Bill and Gujarat. CBI is an autonomous body and is reporting the case (Sohrabuddin) to the Supreme Court. If the CBI terms anyone innocent in the case, it has to report it to the court," he said.

"Narendra Modi got a clean chit when Congress required BJP's support for the nuclear liability bill," CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said.

Expressing similar sentiments, RJD chief Lalu Prasad charged the Congress with silencing parties like SP and BSP and reaching an understanding with BJP on the nuclear bill by using CBI as a tool.

SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said BJP and Congress "are one and they cannot be trusted."

He alleged that BJP used the nuclear liability bill to bail out Modi. "It is a result of an understanding between the two," he said.