N-liability: US pushes for bill, oppn ties govt hand

US President Barack Obama may have urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to push the civil nuclear liability Bill through Parliament, but the government is in a bind on how to negotiate the stiff opposition from the BJP and the Left.

US President Barack Obama may have urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to push the civil nuclear liability Bill through Parliament, but the government is in a bind on how to negotiate the stiff opposition from the BJP and the Left.

HT Image

The BJP wants the Bill redrafted, but the government is not willing to oblige, yet.

“We can consider redrafting it only if there is a commitment that the Bill will be passed without routing it to the standing committee…’’ said a Congress leader, who refused to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

A final decision will be taken after the PM returns from his two-nation visit on April 17.

The liability Bill as also the women’s reservation Bill, which is backed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, are likely to cause disruptions if brought before the Lok Sabha.

The Parliament meets from April 15 for the second half of the Budget Session.

The BJP and Left are opposed to the liability Bill and will block its introduction.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the SP are said to have offered to back the UPA its entire term if the government puts the quota Bill on the backburner.

The Congress hasn’t taken up the offer.