New Delhi: National Security Advisor Shiv
Shankar Menon on Wednesday called on the BJP top brass in a bid to
convince the main opposition about the benefits of Civil
Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, 2010, but the party is
understood to be still sticking to its stand on the issue.
Menon met Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma
Swaraj, her counterpart in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, Deputy
Leader of BJP in the Upper House S S Ahluwalia, and senior
leaders Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant Sinha on the
Parliament premises to discuss the bill.
BJP sources said Menon made a presentation about the bill
and tried to answer to the queries and apprehensions of the
party leaders.
However, BJP has reportedly stuck to its stated
opposition to the bill in its present form and this was
conveyed to the government through Menon.
This was the second time the NSA had called on BJP.
Earlier, he had met Jaitley to discuss the merits of the bill
but was asked to get back with answers to the queries posed
by him.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had a telephonic
conversation with Swaraj last Sunday to convince her about the
bill but she did not relent.
The main objections raised by BJP are about Rs 500 Crore
cap on compensation, making government liable to pay the
compensation thus putting taxpayers' money at stake and
allowing supplier companies to go virtually scot-free.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, March 18, 2010, 00:32