Secularist Aspersions over Alleged Cong-BJP Deal
In what could be first signs of a budding alliance of non-UPA secular parties in the heartland, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders on Wednesday accused Congress of cutting a deal with the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on support for the Civil Nuclear Bill.
The outside supporters to the UPA charged the Congress party of availing BJP support for the contentious Bill in lieu of a clean chit given to Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, over his alleged role in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, said reports.
Casting serious aspersions, Member of Parliament and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief, Mulayam Singh Yadav said the BJP used the nuclear liability bill to bail out Narendra Modi.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress had a deal that you (BJP) give recommendation on my (Congress party’s) nuclear deal. They had a deal over deal. A nuclear deal is going on with America and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress party had a deal among themselves that we (Congress) are not going to disturb you (BJP) with the CBI and you (BJP) just support us (Congress) on the nuclear deal,” the SP leader was quoted as saying by agencies.
“BJP has accepted the deal that we (it) will give our (its) complete support to the nuclear deal on the condition to spare its Chief Minister and other ministers (ostensibly referring to Narendra Modi and his former Home Minister Amit Shah),” he purportedly added.
Echoing similar sentiments, Member of Parliament and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad accused the Congress of silencing regional parties and reaching an understanding with the BJP on the nuclear bill by using CBI as a blackmailing tool.
Prasad flashed a newspaper report in Lok Sabha that reportedly quoted an official of the CBI, as saying there is no evidence found against Narendra Modi in the encounter case.
“The deal has taken place for the nuclear liability bill, further I won’t talk about price rise but release of Narendra Modi. Today’s Times of India states that ‘No evidence against Narendra Modi in Sohrabuddin fake encounter, says CBI official’. It is in today’s Times of India, that’s why I have raised this issue on the floor of the house in parliament and will further raise it. It’s not a tiny issue,” said Lalu Prasad.
He termed the alleged deal between the Congress and the BJP as unfair and unacceptable.
“It is injustice, unfair and we are not going to accept this and will further spread this issue throughout the nation,” promised the former Bihar chief minister.
The nuclear liability bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha by the government in March this year.
(Based on Media Reports)
