Ambala: Even as the Centre expressed its
readiness to look into "genuine" issues which the opposition
might raise over the proposed legislation, Leader of
Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj on Sunday said the BJP
would oppose the Nuclear Liability Bill.
"The BJP would oppose the Bill as the provision of
compensation made in the legislation was quite insufficient,"
Swaraj, who was here to attend a civic reception held in her
honour, told reporters.
Her statement comes after Science and Technology Minister
Prithviraj Chavan, who is in-charge of Department of Atomic
Energy, said in Delhi that the government was ready to "look
into" any genuine and sincere issues the opposition may raise
over the Bill.
The BJP and the Left parties had forced the government to
decide against introduction of the Bill in Lok Sabha on March
15.
The Opposition parties are objecting to the compensation
cap of Rs 500 crore on the operator envisaged in the Bill.
BJP also apprehends that through the legislation, the
government is trying to enable foreign private companies to
enter India's nuclear market.
Swaraj, who hails from Ambala, also credited her party
with the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya
Sabha saying without the support of BJP and Left parties it
would not have been possible.
Replying to a question, she said Congress should not
give credit to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for this (Women's
Reservation Bill) as they did not have the numbers neither in
the Lok Sabha nor in Rajya Sabha to get the Bill cleared.
Asserting that BJP was in favour of the Women's
Reservation Bill, she hoped that RJD and SP might also change
their stand after some amendments in the legislation.
Blaming the Centre for price rise, the BJP leader said
the entire opposition was united on the issue as it was
hitting the common man hard.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, March 21, 2010, 22:00