Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh in his reply to a daylong marathon discussion in the Rajya Sabha - the upper house of the Parliament - on the Indo-U.S. civilian nuclear deal asserted that India will not accept any extraneous conditions.
Dr.Singh assured the House during his 80 minute reply that, "any deviation from the July 18, 2005, joint statement and the March 2,2006 separation plan will not be acceptable to us , and the U.S. administration has been informed of this stand. There is no question of our strategic nuclear autonomy being compromised and new and unacceptable conditions being introduced".
Dr. Singh further asserted that "there is no question of allowing American inspectors to roam around our nuclear facilities. Our foreign policy is determined solely by our national interests. No legislation enacted in a foreign country can take away from us that sovereign right. There is no question of India being bound by a law passed by a foreign legislation."
As an ordinary citizen who could only be a mute spectator, I am somewhat relieved that the Prime Minister is not bowing to the pressures of the U.S. I sincerely wish that Dr.Singh sticks to his guns and stalls any attempt by the U.S. to suffocate the Indian nuclear programme.
But what the destiny has in store and how U.S. is going to play its cards in the coming days - let us wait and see the drama unfolding.
Be Happy with what you have while working for what you want.
