New Delhi: In the wake of US President Barack
Obama's statement alluding that India should sign the CTBT and
NPT, BJP on Friday welcomed the government's firm stand against
it.
"BJP is of the clear view that India should not sign the
CTBT or NPT under any circumstances. We have, on our own,
imposed voluntary moratorium and no-first-use policy on
ourselves," BJP President Rajnath Singh said.
Singh said, "We welcome the stand (of not signing the two
treaties) taken by the Indian government in the United
Nations. We are in full support (of the government) on the
issue."
When NDA was in power, it had conducted Pokharan-II
nuclear tests in 1998, making India nuclear-capable. Though
the tests had led to severe economic sanctions against India,
the government did not bow to international pressure and
refused to sign the CTBT or the NPT.
BJP has maintained that it favours good relations with the
US but "only on our own terms". BJP had opposed the Indo-US
civilian nuclear deal last year, arguing that it was against
India's interest.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, September 25, 2009, 14:33