Page 377 - SSB Interview: The Complete Guide, Second Edition

In response to the language Congress used in the Act to define US policy
toward India, President Bush stated: “Given the Constitution’s commitment
to the authority of the presidency to conduct the nation’s foreign affairs, the
executive branch shall construe such policy statements as advisory,” going on

to cite sections 103 and 104 (d) (2) of the bill. To assure Congress that its
work would not be totally discarded, Bush continued by saying that the

executive would give “the due weight that comity between the legislative and
executive branches should require, to the extent consistent with US foreign
policy”.

Political Opposition in India

The Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement was met with stiff opposition by

some political parties and activists in India. Although many mainstream
political parties including the Congress (I) supported the deal along with
regional parties like Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Rashtriya Janata Dal,

its realisation ran into difficulties in the face of stiff political opposition in
India. Also, in November 2007, former Indian military chiefs, bureaucrats
and scientists drafted a letter to Members of Parliament expressing their

support for the deal. However, opposition and criticism continued at political
levels. The Samajwadi Party (SP), which was with the Left Front in opposing

the deal, changed its stand after discussing with ex-President of India and
scientist Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The SP then supported the government and
the deal. The Indian government survived a vote of confidence by 275-256
after the Left Front withdrew their support to the government over this

dispute. Incidentally, the results showed ten MPs belonging to the opposing
BJP party cross-voting in favour of the government.

As details were revealed about serious inconsistencies between what the

Indian Parliament was told about the deal, and the facts about the agreement
that were presented by the Bush administration to the US Congress,

opposition grew in India against the deal. In particular, portions of the
agreement dealing with guaranteeing India a fuel supply or allowing India to
maintain a strategic reserve of nuclear fuel appear to be diametrically