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Journalism of Courage
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee clarified today that there was no time frame for the UPA-Left committee set up to look into the Left8217;s concerns about the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.
8220;We have to work as expeditiously as we can,8221; he told reporters. Asked about the first meeting of the committee, he said, 8220;let them the Left come back from their agitation8221;. The Left is engaged in countrywide protests against the multi-nation naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal.
Congress sources said the committee was likely to hold its first meeting after September 9.
8220;Let us meet and then we will understand each other8217;s understanding. The mechanism is to understand and assess the situation,8221; said the minister. Rejecting the Opposition parties8217; demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to go into the US nuclear deal, 8220;We are ready to discuss with them the NDA also. The Prime Minister had called them. If they want to seek clarifications, we are ready to give them,8221; he said.
In a related development, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi also rejected the Opposition8217;s demand for a JPC to look into the nuclear deal arguing that there were no laws, practices, conventions or established procedures to this effect.
