Agencies
New Delhi, July 3:
In the face of aggressive Congress efforts to woo one of its major constituents, the UNPA on Thursday managed to put up a united face apparently persuading Samajwadi Party to hold its cards on the Indo-US nuclear deal.
After a nearly four-hour long meeting, leaders of the UNPA told a press conference that they favoured a national debate on the nuclear deal as there were many aspects that needed clarifications.
However, the Samajwadi Party, whose 39 MPs may be crucial to the UPA Government in the Lok Sabha if the Left parties withdraw support, again gave indications of tilting towards Congress when it said "communalism is a bigger danger than the nuclear deal".
"I said it yesterday. And I repeat it today," SP General Secretary, Amar Singh, who was briefed by National Security Advisor M K Narayanan on the deal yesterday, said in the presence of SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu, INLD Chief O P Chautala, AGP chief Brindavan Goswami and Jharkhand Vikas Party leader Babulal Marandi.
The UNPA leaders said they were not satisfied even after clarifications issued by the Prime Minister's Office on the deal and would consult eminent scientists before deciding their stand.
Chautala said the UNPA it will not give "any certificate" for the deal before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh goes to G-8 summit in Japan on July seven.
Replying to a question on his party's stand on support to the Government on the deal, Amar Singh shot back, "why should UNPA spell out its strategy when the Government and the Left parties were yet to divorce".
"The Prime Minister will not get any certificate from us about our support before July six. There are concerns which need to be addressed. There should be a national debate. Till we are satisfied, we will never support the Government on the deal," Chautala said.
The leaders were grilled about on their stand that there should be a national debate. "It is not an issue just for the Government and Parliament alone. The whole country should debate it. The Prime Minister should explain to the nation what the deal is," Chautala said.
"Who will initiate the debate," Naidu was asked to which he shot back the Prime Minister should start it.
Amar Singh said they will consult an eminent expert whose views were acceptable to the entire nation.
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