Inod-US Nuke deal
The BJP’s opposition appears to be motivated more by the fact that the deal was completed by the Congress rather than any serious objections to the deal itself. If the BJP is a party with a difference, this is the time to prove it by looking at the deal in a larger framework of the national interest rather than by trying to score political debating points.
The BJP initially tried hard to nitpick on the details of the deal, but has recently focused on the right to test as the key issue, arguing that the deal would prevent India from conducting future tests. This is a false claim: nothing in the deal says that India cannot test.
There may be consequences if India tests, but even this has been minimized because under the conditions of the deal, the US will have to take into consideration whether India was forced to test because of circumstances such as nuclear tests by India’s neighbors. Moreover, if India conducts a test, it will have to face some international opposition irrespective of the signing the deal or not.
It should also be noted that the vast majority of the BJP’s constituency comes from the middle class, much of which supports the deal. The Left’s opposition to the deal may help it to solidify its base, but the BJP’s position is actually driving a wedge between the party and its core support base. Repeated statements from the BJP leaders that they have no objections to closer Indo-US ties only makes their position on the nuclear deal more confusing to their supporters.
Even Brajesh Mishra, the National Security Advisor of the Vajpayee government, and someone, who initially opposed the deal, has now endorsed it. But the BJP refuses to, arguing that while an individual could change positions on policy issues, a political party cannot.
This is stubbornness, not consistency. If it is truly a party with a difference, the BJP can start by proving it by changing their position on the nuclear deal.
