Houses adjourned over Lebanon, N-deal

NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Thursday adjourned the House abruptly as the Left and Opposition members, defying the chair, persisted with seeking clarifications on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement on the situation in Lebanon.
  
The adjournment, till 1330 hrs, came at 1225 hours soon after Singh's statement, assuring the House that the safety of about 12,000 Indians, who were in Lebanon at the time of eruption of hostilities, were the prime concern of his government.

 

As soon as Singh was through with his suo motu statement lasting about 10 minutes, Basudeb Acharia and Rupchand Pal (both Communist Party of India-Marxist), Gurudas Dasgupta (Communist Party of India), Mr Yerran Naidu (Telugu Desam Party), Kharabela Swain (Bharatiya Janata Party) and several other non-treasury members were on their feet, seeking clarifications from the prime minister.

 

The Speaker ruled that nothing would go on record and told DV Sadananda Gowda (BJP) to raise the issue for which he had given notice.

 

The agitated Left, Samajwadi Party and opposition members were insisting on seeking clarifications.

 

''I shall allow a discussion. Move a motion. But I will not allow the practice of raising questions after a statement,'' the Speaker remarked and adjourned the House abruptly as the members refused to heed his advice.

 

 

India will extend aid of Rs 10 crore to humanitarian and relief efforts to rebuild war-ravaged Lebanon, Singh announced.

 

This was in response to an appeal issued by the Government of Lebanon, he told the Lok Sabha.
  
He demanded an immediate ceasefire to end the destruction in Lebanon and provide humanitarian assistance.

 

''All sides must immediately halt the violence and give diplomacy a chance,'' Singh said while pointing out that ''diplomacy to succeed should have a long-term solution that involves and addresses the legitimate concerns of all parties in the region, leading to a comprehensive and negotiated solution.''

 

Singh said India was seriously concerned about the escalation of conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah extending across the Lebanon-Israel border. ''West Asia is our extended neighbourhood and tension in that region affect our security and our vital interests.''

 

He said these developments had inflamed an already tense and delicate situation in the region.

 

On the allegation of members during Zero Hour on Wednesday that India was not prompt in its response to the West Asia crisis fearing ire from the United States, Singh said New Delhi had condemned the abduction of Israeli soldiers by the Hezbollah cadres and called for their immediate release.

 

Simultaneously, India had condemned in the strongest possible terms the excessive and disproportionate military retaliation by
Israel.

 

''We had particularly expressed concern that the actions of the Israeli defence forces had resulted in the killing and suffering of innocent civilians, including women and children, that is likely to exacerbate an already tense situation. We also condemn the attack that led to the death of four United Nations observers in Lebanon.''

 

The Opposition walked out of the Rajya Sabha demanding further discussion on the nuclear deal with the United States even as Prime Minister Singh assured the House that there was no violation of law and the entire process is yet to be completed by the US legislature.

 

The prime minister said he wanted to make it clear that he cannot influence the US legislative process. ''It is for the US government to come to a conclusion, while we perform our part of the bargain'',
Singh said in the Upper House during Question Hour.

 

He said the US legislative process on the nuclear deal with India is still on and any apprehension right now was ''baseless''.

 

The prime minister assured the House that whatever is taking place on the nuclear deal would be within the parameters of July 18, 2005 joint statement.

 

He said only if the end result of the US legislative process is not in tandem with the country's needs, then only will it be detrimental. ''We must have patience,'' the prime minister said.

 

He said the US legislative process is still on and India had adequate dialogue with the US on the issue on several occasions.

 

Former external affairs minister and BJP member Yashwant Sinha expressed fear that once the US legislative process is over, the ''goal posts will be shifted''. Not only would they be shifted but taken out of the field, he quipped.

 

Singh, however, asserted nothing of this sort would happen and the ''goal posts will be there''.

 

When SP member Amar Singh asked whether the House wanted a resolution on this issue, the Opposition said the prime minister should give a reply. ''The whole House wants a resolution on this issue,'' Amar Singh demanded.

 

Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, however, told the members to take their seat and said only supplementaries on the question on Safeguards Agreement with International Atomic Energy Agency could be asked.

 

Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh intervened and said the prime minister has cited the legislative process of the US as one of the inhibiting factors.

 

CPI(M) member Sitaram Yechury iterated that the House should honour the feeling of its members on a resolution. He recalled the July 29, 2005 suo motu statement in the house by the PM that ''we are committing ourselves to separating the military and civilian use of nuclear energy. This will be under the IAEA safeguards. India will now have to negotiate with the IAEA.

 

The prime minister said there has been no violations and requested the members to ''let the process be completed''.

 

Earlier, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said India and IAEA have concluded an agreement requiring the application of IAEA's safeguards in accordance with its standards, principles and practices to India's civil nuclear facilities, materials and programmes.

 

He quoted the prime minister's statement in Parliament on July 29, 2005, ''Before voluntarily placing our civilian facilities under IAEA safeguards, we will ensure that all restrictions on India have
been lifted''.

 

The government continues to abide by that commitment, Sharma said.