Cong turns down BJP146;s demand

The Congress today rejected the BJP8217;s demand that the draft agreement on Indo-US civilian nuclear deal should be referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee JPC.

8220;Under which law or convention is an international treaty referred to the JPC or Parliament? If the BJP cannot digest the fact that a historic agreement has been entered into, they cannot distort the convention of treaty making. Perhaps if they come to power 20 years later, they can bring provision to get international treaties cleared by Parliament,8221; Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said on Monday.

Meanwhile, it has been decided that UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will host a dinner for MPs and leaders of the UPA constituents and Left allies on August 8. It comes ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament.