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. At its summit in L'Aquila last week,the G-8 issued a declaration in which it underlined that they will curb transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technology and items to nations which are not signatories to the NPT,a decision which may impact India. Mukherjee said India is not a member of G-8 grouping and it is only part of an outreach countries group of five countries. The issue was raised by senior BJP member Najma Heptulla who wanted a statement from the government on the development. She was supported by her party colleagues and Left members when she asked the government whether the G-8 declaration would mean additional conditionalities on the waiver given by the NSG. She wanted to know whether India was consulted before the declaration and if so whether the government had agreed. Brinda Karat (CPI-M) asked why the House has been kept in the dark over such an important issue.
