Cong, BJP struck deal over Modi, N-Bill: Oppn

The other opposition parties on Wednesday accused the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party of striking a deal on the Nuclear Liability Bill — Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi would not be booked in the Sohrabuddin encounter case in return for his party's support in getting the Bill through Parliament.

The other opposition parties on Wednesday accused the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party of striking a deal on the Nuclear Liability Bill — Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi would not be booked in the Sohrabuddin encounter case in return for his party's support in getting the Bill through Parliament.

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Leading the charge were Lalu Prasad of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Mulayam Singh of the Samajwadi Party and Brinda Karat of the CPI(M). "The Congress and the BJP are together on several issues… Today's media reports indicate that Modi has been given a clean chit by CBI in Sohrabuddin case… the BJP is supporting the nuclear bill because the government will not initiate action against Modi," Lalu alleged.

The BJP rebutted the allegations and said Lalu and Mulayam were "speaking of their own experience".

"They have been let off by the CBI in many cases for favouring the government. They know it happens. But in our case, we exerted pressure on the government on protecting the interest of the nation," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

He said the hike in the compensation cap from Rs.500 crore, as provided in the earlier draft, to Rs 1,500 crore in case of a nuclear accident is in the "best interest of the nation".

The Left parties, however, said the recommendations of the standing committee, which studied the draft Bill, helped the foreign suppliers even more.

The BSP alleged the BJP had struck a deal to support the nuclear liabililty bill in return for the Congress's silence over illegal mining in Karnataka.