Joshi veers off BJP line, slams PM for Iran vote, N-deal

Asserting that the Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation deal signed in July, 2005, ‘‘is prejudicial to national interests’’, Joshi urged the Prime Minister to hold ‘‘ a free and full debate in the current session of Parliament and clarify the UPA government’s stand to the nation’’.

Joshi said the debate should ideally be held before US President George W. Bush arrives in India, so the Americans could get an insight into the country’s mood regarding the nuclear agreement. In case a debate could not be held before the Budget, efforts would be made to raise the issue during Zero Hour, he said.

Although former foreign minister Jaswant Singh has already issued a statement on behalf of the BJP expressing concern about aspects of the proposed nuclear agreement, Joshi’s letter to the Prime Minister is much more strident and critical. Unlike Singh, who played a key role in establishing ‘‘strategic ties’’ with the US and who cannot be too critical of the UPA government’s continuation of that policy, Joshi—a proponent of swadeshi—joined ranks with the Left in slamming the deal.

The nuclear agreement, he wrote, was ‘‘designed to emasculate Indian nuclear options —both in the military and civil sectors and make India perpetually dependent on the USA’’. The US demand for the separation of civilian and military reactors ‘‘is also a firm message to India that it cannot hope to get the USA to accept India as a full-fledged nuclear power,’’ the letter said.

The separation of India’s fully integrated nuclear energy programme ‘‘simply means that we put three quarters of our nuclear programme inclusive of its scientific personnel and particularly the plutonium breeder reactor project and the subsequent thorium cycle under International Atomic Energy safeguards’’, it added.

Scoffing at the Prime Minister’s contention that the agreement was in keeping with ‘‘enlightened national interest’’, Joshi said, ‘‘It is indeed ironical that while you are talking about ‘enlightened’ national interest, President Musharraf talks of ‘enlightened moderation’ to justify the respective stands which benefit whom, one can only guess.’’