Four days after he told The Indian Express that the BJP will have “no problem with the 123 Agreement” if the UPA government can bring an amendment in the domestic Atomic Energy Act to protect India’s strategic independence, Leader of Opposition L K Advani, coming under pressure from party colleagues, did a flip-flop today when he called for renegotiation of the Agreement.

“A suggestion has been made recently that, as the domestic laws of the US are the ones that are causing the problem, we should examine whether we can alter our laws, such as the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 in such a way as to insulate our strategic objectives. If that can be done, we should strengthen our laws, and, on the basis of those altered laws, renegotiate the 123 Agreement,” said Advani.

This is the first time that has Advani used the word “renegotiate” in his critique of the Indo-US nuclear deal.

His statements had not been in tune with the party’s official position that the deal is “unacceptable” and must be “renegotiated.” Evidently under pressure from party colleagues, he issued a statement today, endorsing the party position and denying that his earlier statements implied any divergence from the position of the BJP.

“My interview with The Indian Express at Hyderabad about the Indo-US nuclear deal is sought to be projected as the party’s U-turn from its earlier position. Actually it was intended to clarify how the BJP’s opposition to the Agreement stems from considerations of pure national interest, and not from any kind of anti-Americanism which may be motivating the Leftist parties,” he said.

... contd.