'Vajpayee is Bhishma Pitamah of politics'

Manmohan Singh, who called Vajpayee 'Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics', appealed to the former PM to support the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Describing Atal Bihari Vajpayee as '

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Bhishma Pitamah

of Indian politics', Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday appealed to the former prime minister to rise above "narrow" party politics and support the Indo-US nuclear deal.

"

Bhishma Pitamah

of Indian politics Atal Bihari Vajpayee should listen to his conscience and let national interest prevail upon narrow politics," Singh said in the Rajya Sabha seeking the support of his predecessor on the nuclear deal.

In his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks on President's Address, Prime Minister assured the Parliament the government would not compromise on requirements of national security in inking the nuclear deal with the US.

While the Prime Minister mounted a strident attack on the previous NDA Government, Singh had words of praise for Vajpayee for his "courageous" steps to foster peace with Pakistan.

"The most courageous steps to build peace were taken by Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Atal Bihari Vajpayee," Singh said in an identical reply in the Lok Sabha.

The Prime Minister said his government has continued the process with President Pervez Musharraf.

Singh noted that the dialogue process was started by the then Prime Ministers late Benazir Bhutto and late Rajiv Gandhi.

Singh was also happy with former National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra "coming out openly in defence of the Nuclear Cooperation Agreement".