'Govt won't budge on Indo-US nuclear pact'

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to make a suo motu statement in Parliament in the coming weeks to allay apprehensions about the Indo-US nuclear agreement, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said in New Delhi on Thursday.

Dasmunsi also said that there could also be a short-duration discussion followed by a comprehensive reply by the government over the issue. He said a discussion over the nuclear treaty was not possible next week as there were only three working days.

"We will try to evolve a mechanism if we could have a discussion. But the possibility is very little," he said, adding that as of now, August 10 and 11 would be absorbed in the discussion on the farmers issue and other legislative business.

Dasmunsi, however, made it clear to both the Left parties as well as the

Bharatiya Janata Party that the government would not accept any resolution opposing the nuclear deal. At least it will not be a party to any resolution on the pact, he added.

They had absolute confidence in the prime minister and would go by what he had assured in Parliament in April, Dasmunsi said, adding that there was no question that the government would come under any pressure.

The Left parties and the BJP, are opposed to the nuclear pact although for different reasons. While the Left was totally against any nuclear pact with the United States, the BJP was opposing it on the ground that it was against national interests since several provisions of the pact had been changed.

The BJP has announced that it would support any resolution brought forward by the Left parties to oppose the deal, showing unanimity over the issue.