The issue has been billed as the biggest development in South Asia in 25 years but the Congress arrived with the weight of its own decisions of the past, including Pokharan I in 1974. The party fielded two speakers today, both known loyalists of Congress president Sonia Gandhi: Natwar Singh and P Shiv Shanker.

They had a tough task -- and it showed. Singh ended up stressing that his party would support the BJP-led government on the issue of national security and in battling any hardship that may be caused by sanctions. He was also forced into issuing a clarification on Pokharan I by BJP member Jagmohan.

"In 1974 there was no security threat as there is none now. The 1968 NPThad a clause that you could have peaceful explosions under the treaty. Mrs Gandhi said no, we will have our own NPT," Singh said. This and his proclaimed support to the BJP on national security and in facing sanctions prompted ridicule from Chandra Shekhar.

Said Shekhar: "Congressmen never had courage earlier but it seems things are changing since the last month or so. I congratulate Singh for what he said on Pokharan I but it is the Congress which began liberalisation which has put us at the mercy of sanctions."

It summed up the Congress discomfort which deepened when Defence Minister George Fernandes rebutted criticism against him in his own style targeting Singh, Chidambaram and CPI member Indrajit Gupta who began the debate after Vajpayee made his statement on the tests.

The Congress had another rap on its knuckles when Vajpayee's paper on "Evolution of India's nuclear policy", which was laid on the table of the House with his statement, ignored Rajiv Gandhi. The paper made no mention of Rajiv, whomthe Congress has been crediting with laying down India's nuclear policy in the United Nations in 1988 where he advocated a nuclear weapons-free world.

Even this was not taken up by the Congress and Singh merely spoke one line saying India's foreign policy until now was a "tremendous tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and PV Narasimha Rao". Again it was Shekhar who took it up. Refuting Jagmohan's charge that various Prime Ministers sat on the decision till Vajpayee cleared Pokharan II, he said: "No such decision was pending before any PM. It was Rajiv Gandhi who asked the world to forsake nuclear weapons. But when this was not heeded, India kept its options open and took the necessary steps."

However, Singh did take a few digs at the BJP. He said the tests lacked a moral dimension, wondered when the threat perception changed, felt the diplomatic and political management of Pokharan II was unsatisfactory and reserved sarcasm for the multiple voices of the government on theissue.

"The Defence Minister is a human El Nino who comes out with controversial statements from time to time. And the Home Minister has damaged relations with Pakistan with his unbridled statements. A period of silence on the ministers' part is welcome. Atal Behari Vajpayee should be known as Atom Bomb Vajpayee after May 11," Singh said.

He added that the BJP had overturned 25 years of foreign and nuclear policy without consulting anyone and did his bit for Sonia by reading out portions of her CWC address on the tests. The basic thrust was that the reasons for Pokharan II had to be explained, a stance the Congress has been taking for two weeks. Indrajit Gupta referred to Britain "considered a second-class power though it has nuclear weapons."

He said Japan and Germany were strong nations though they were not nuclear powers. Laloo was his inimitable self but didn't seem to have much stuff on the issue.

Shekhar had some juicy ones for the treasury benches. "Nuclear policy is one of death anddestruction; The country's debt has risen from $ 112 billion to $ 212 billion after the rupee's post-Pokharan fall; signing CTBT or not won't make a difference, the world knows our intentions; nuclear tests are easy but handling the consequences is not; people applauding you are prodding you to speed up on the road to destruction."

Chidambaram had some of his own: "Your case, Mr Prime Minister, is unconvincing; the government didn't discover a threat, it invented one; how is an N-bomb a defence, where are you going to explode it, in India; this government can take three roads: start a local, limited war; sign the CTBT or call mid-term polls."

Tests are for peace: BJP

Adding a new dimension to the ongoing nuclear debate, the BJP and its allies today unanimously adopted a resolution describing India's nuclear tests as a "vital step towards the country's pursuit of global peace through nuclear control". Addressing a meeting of MPs from the BJP and its allies parties this morning Prime Minister AtalBehari Vajpayee said that from now on, India would pursue the goal of peace and disarmament with renewed strength. He said there would "no change whatsoever" in India's peace-oriented policy.