
Government on Monday asserted that India was not worried by decision of G-8 nations to curb transfer of some sensitive nuclear technology to non-NPT nations.
The statement from Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee came after Left parties and the BJP were seen on the same side in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha demanding a discussion on the key issue.
So far as the civil nuclear cooperation is concerned, the appropriate agency is IAEA and the 45-member NSG. We have got clean waiver from NSG. We are not deeply concerned (over G-8 declaration)...," Mukherjee told the Rajya Sabha.
He was External Affairs Minister when the Indo-US nuclear deal was signed.
In Lok Sabha, BJP Deputy Leader Sushma Swaraj said "we want a statement from the Prime Minister after a thorough discussion on the issue." Her colleague Murli Manohar Joshi remarked that the matter involved national sovereignty.
Raising the issue in the Lower House, CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharia recalled that government had said that it had got a clean waiver to acquire enrichment and reprocessing items. But the recent G-8 Summit decided to impose conditions in regard to the sale of such items.
"What is the government's stand on the matter as the Prime Minister had attended the Summit where the conditions were imposed," Acharia said, demanding a clarification from the Prime Minister.
Following the demands, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal assured the Lok Sabha that he would bring the matter to the notice of the Prime Minister.
In the Upper House, Mukherjee, who had signed India specific safeguards agreement with IAEA last year, was responding to opposition members' concern on the G-8 declaration at Italy.
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