BJP flays IAEA safeguards pact

The BJP has come down heavily on the safeguards agreement approved by the IAEA, calling it a compromise on India’s sovereignty, reports Vikas Pathak.

The BJP has come down heavily on the safeguards agreement approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Friday, calling it a compromise on India’s sovereignty, and asked the government to clearly spell out how much electricity the nuclear deal would bring, including the time and cost it would entail.

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Terming the approval of the India-specific safeguards agreement as “strategic subservience” to the US rather than strategic partnership with it, the BJP said it has established India — a de-facto nuclear weapons’ state — as a non-nuclear weapons state. “We are now bound by the safeguards agreement in perpetuity, whether we get nuclear fuel and technology or not,” said Prakash Javdekar.

“While the five accepted nuclear weapon states have opened only 11 out of a total of 400 nuclear facilities to IAEA inspection, the government has opened as many as 14 of our 22 reactors to such inspections.”

The party has also quoted former US negotiator of the deal Nicholas Burns’ statement that the 123 Agreement was absolutely consistent with the Hyde Act as ‘proof’ that the 123 Agreement — a treaty between the US and India on civilian nuclear cooperation — is subservient to the Hyde Act — an internal Act of the US Congress. The government has till now held that India is bound only by the 123 Agreement and not be the Hyde Act.

“If India conducts a nuclear test in future, the US will take back the fuel, plant, machinery and spares without our permission,” he said.

No ties with BSP or SP

In Lucknow, BJP chief Rajnath Singh ruled out an alliance with the BSP and SP. “Leaders of rival political parties are trying to create confusion among the masses by saying the BJP would go for pre-poll or post alliance with the SP or BSP. I would like to clarify that BJP would have no tie up with any of these parties. Both SP and BSP on one occasion or other have extended support to UPA government.”