New Delhi: While terming the Nuclear
Liability Bill as beneficial for the country`s atomic power
generation, Samajwadi Party on Wednesday said it wanted the bill to
be vetted by a select committee of all parties before it is
introduced in Parliament as it has several loopholes.
"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that the Nuclear
Liability Bill will be introduced in the second half of the
Budget Session and suggestions will be invited from all
parties before making changes in it. SP feels that the bill is
beneficial for the country as it is aiming towards country`s
nuclear atomic power generation plans.
"However, it should be vetted by a select committee of
all parties, which should be formed for this purpose in
Parliament, before the bill is passed," SP national General
Secretary Mohan Singh said here.
Talking to reporters, Singh said the bill has several
loopholes like supplier countries will have no liabilities
while all the liabilities are to be borne by the operator
countries. "SP also feels that this bill is a result of skewed
thinking on part of the government," he said.
Singh said nowadays bills are referred to Parliamentary
Standing Committees, which comprise mostly persons who are
not in anyway connected with the subject.
"Earlier there were select committees in Parliament,
which comprised subject experts who helped in constructing
the concerned bill. We want that before introducing the Bill
in Parliament, a select committee comprising of subject
experts on nuclear issues be formed which can help in
constructing the bill by making adequate changes in it," the
SP leader said.
He said India has been a witness to one of the world`s
worst disasters namely the 1984 Union Carbide gas leak in
Bhopal.
"In such a scenario, this bill is needed as it will
address grievances in case of such mishaps. However, the
government should also be aware of the fact that the bill
tends to favour private companies that can sell outdated
equipments to India. Government should not hurry the bill and
we want that after a select committee vets it, the bill
should be passed in Parliament only after consultations with
all parties," Singh said.
On the Foreign Universities Bill, Singh said his party
will oppose it as the proposed legislation will "endanger" the
Indian universities.
The Government plans to introduce the bill in the second
half of the Budget Session.
PTI
