‘BJP stalled UPA govt from doing what it has done today’

“Basically, when the BJP was in opposition and the UPA government wanted to take 10 steps forward on the nuclear deal, it stalled and forced the government to take only four steps. Today, all that this government has done is to take only six steps, steps that it didn’t allow the UPA to take, and claim great victory. They are doing it in every field. But once the contours of the agreement become public, they will be exposed as such things are open to scrutiny and public debate,” he said.

Asked to spell out his expectations from the Modi government in light of today’s announcement, the eminent lawyer said, “We don’t know what the give and take is? And, how can there be any give and take in the absence of a legislation and if there is whether it will stand the test of judicial scrutiny is something that will need to be looked into. But this much is clear that having committed a national sin, they (BJP-led government) are now trying to claim this deal as a great victory. The BJP must now pause and reflect if party interest can come before issues of national interest.”

Asked if the Congress and other opposition parties will raise the issue and ask the government to make the contours of the deal public, Sibal replied, “Yes. The opposition must and will ask the Prime Minister to make a statement on what the deal is about and what is the give and what is the take… how much they have given and how much they have taken. But, ultimately, it is the private supplier who has to be satisfied and a private supplier will never be satisfied with the gives and takes between governments. He will be satisfied only if he gets more than what he gives.”