While opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and key United Progressive Alliance supporter Communist Party of India (Marxist) attacked the Indo-US nuclear deal, the government and the Congress on Monday ruled out going back on it.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement in the last session of the Rajya Sabha was cited by the government to allay fears in different quarters on the issue.
"I don't think it has become a non-starter. We are on the verge of creating history through this Indo-US agreement," Congress spokesman Satyavrat Chaturvedi told reporters.
He said this when asked whether the saffron party's demand for rejection of the deal and CPI(M) position that it was not acceptable in the current form had made the venture infructuous.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi, talking to reporters separately, referred to the prime minister's statement in the Rajya Sabha in the last session in which he had declared that the US legislation on nuclear cooperation with India will not be allowed to become an instrument to compromise the country's sovereignty.
Dr Singh had also hinted at a possible re-look if 'extraneous conditions' are imposed.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will make a statement on the agreement in Parliament on Tuesday, as he could not do so due to disruption on Monday.
Dasmunsi said two days --18th and 19th of December -- have been reserved for a discussion on the deal.
Meanwhile government sources said that the hardline stance of the BJP and CPI(M) could turn out to be blessing in disguise as it would give India the much needed leeway for insisting on a final agreement that would be acceptable to all here.
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