Party walks tightrope on N-deal

BJP NATIONAL EXECUTIVE MEET

The Congress' claim that the Indo-US civil nuclear deal would pave the way for energy security, and therefore those opposed to the deal were in effect opposing energy security, has forced the BJP to come out with a more nuanced stand on the issue.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani, in his concluding remarks at the party's National Executive meeting in Bhopal, exhorted the party members to draw a fine line between relations with the United States and the civil nuclear agreement being negotiated by the UPA government.

It also appears to be an acknowledgement of the fact that the Congress seems to have run away with the national interest agenda on this issue with Advani urging his partymen to capture the agenda for themselves.

"The Congress appears to be indulging in a lie, namely that it alone wants India's development, that it alone is committed to India's energy security and that all others are creating hurdles in the way by opposing the nuclear deal," he said.

"Our party is not opposed to India's energy security," he added. "But we should tell the people how the Congress party is compromising India's national security by doggedly pursuing a flawed and unequal energy security deal with the United States," he said.

"The common man may not understand the technicalities of the nuclear deal "" the 123 Agreement, the Hyde Act, etc. Nevertheless the BJP should go on the offensive by telling our patriotic people "" for even ordinary Indians understand the language of patriotism "" that the Congress wants to weaken India's security and sovereignty, whereas the BJP wants to protect and further strengthen them," he said.

He emphasised that the BJP wanted "friendly relations with America but on equal terms."

"The BJP wants to catch the nuclear energy bus but without getting off from the nuclear weapons bus," he said.

Advani's statement makes it clear that the BJP's opposition to the deal should not stop any future BJP-led government from pursuing a similar deal with the US or any other country.

"The BJP wants India to soon become a major global power ...as one of the poles of a multi-polar world," said Advani.