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 Bharatiya Janata Party (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,” Ms. 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 the 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.
The BJP also apprehends that through the legislation, the government is trying to enable foreign private companies to enter India's nuclear market.
Women's Bill
Ms. Swaraj also credited her party with the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha, saying without the support of the BJP and the Left parties it would not have been possible.
Replying to a question, she said the Congress should not give the credit to United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi “for this [women's Bill] as they did not have the numbers neither in the Lok Sabha nor in the Rajya Sabha” to get the Bill cleared.
