House Uproar: BJP Stages Walkout on Indo-US Defence Pact
With the Indo-US defece pact, also known as End User Pact, leading to pandemonium in Parliament, the Opposition has said that it is not satisfied with what clarification External Affairs Minister SM Krishna has given on the issue on the floor of the house.
The Opposition also staged a walkout demanding to know as to why the government consented to any monitoring of country’s military base and equipment by America.
The BJP is dissatisfied with the Foreign Minister’s statement on the agreement and staged walkout.
“I want clarification on End User monitoring agreement,” demanded Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha LK Advani.
“How can the government ignore objections and sign the agreement?” asked Sushma Swaraj, Deputy leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.
However, the Foreign Minister defended the defence pact.
“Nothing extraordinary about the agreement, it is in larger interest of the nation,” said SM Krishna, External Affairs Minister.
The BJP insisted that the government should explain to the opposition as to how American supervision leaves India’s military interest protected.
“Why should American officials supervise our facilities. I urge the government to take the house in confidence on the End User Agreement, the technology verification agreement. If the government has done anything wrong then I request the government not to ratify this agreement,” said Yashwant Sinha, senior leader, BJP.
According to this pact, the US has agreed to India’s terms for selling military equipment to the country. The military sale agreement paves the way for huge military equipment sales by America to India.
In a departure from previous agreements with other countries, America has agreed to India’s terms.
Under the pact, the US will not have a unilateral right to inspect India’s military bases or military equipment sold to India.
Inspection of equipment sold by the US to India will be done at a place and time of India’s choice, and with mutual consultation.
This pact which is yet to be signed between the two countries will be binding for all future US military sales to India.
The agreement will be frozen once signed, and future US laws cannot impinge on it.
