N-deal assurances lack legal backing, says BJP

Terming US President George W Bush's comments after signing into law the Indo-US nuclear deal legislation as mere "personal assurances" with "no legal standing," the main opposition BJP on Thursday said that history would prove that the agreement was a "defeat" for the country.

"Even Bush is silent in his speech about the contentious issue of nuclear testing and the government has clearly failed in ensuring the sovereignty and nuclear independence for the country," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said reacting to the US leader's assent to the legislation.

"The last minute face saving comments" by the US President, Rudy said, are nearly "personal assurances and have no legal standing or any statutory back up".

"Only history would prove that its a defeat for the country earned by the UPA at the cost of the common man," he said.

Rudy claimed that BJP's stand was today vindicated and asserted that its opposition to the deal in its present form would continue unabated.

Bush signed the legislation into law to implement the historic Indo-US civil nuclear deal and assured that there were "no changes" in fuel supply commitments as provided in the 123 Agreement and that India has also been granted "advanced consent" for reprocessing.