"The subject never came up. It's a matter which is sub judice back home. And it's not a subject to come up at these forums," Sharma told Indian reporters at a press roundtable.
"The criminal civil and cooperate liability are very much defined with clarity in the laws of both the countries and jurisprudence," Sharma said in response to a question.
When specifically asked that the Group of Ministers (GoM) in India had discussed the issue, Sharma said, "The GoM is not meant for this country.GoM will give its recommendations to the Cabinet of India".
Before the Indian Cabinet considers the recommendations of GoM, it is no question of a Minister of the Republic of India, even commenting on it.
However, Sharma said the Cabinet can ask the judiciary to have a very clear interpretation of the three judgments from the highest courts of the judicature.
"That I think, the Cabinet or the executive would be very much within its rights as far as our constitutional scheme of things to request through the judicature General of India. But, beyond that no. We don't discuss it outside when we have not discussed it within our own system", he said.
"I can't speak of others. It never came up in none of our interactions," Sharma responded when journalists insisted upon the same question again and again.
"I did not raise it, nor did my interlocutors," he said.
"The CEOs Forum and the interactions were not pre-arranged to discuss this matter, nor they were expected to," the minister added.
When asked about the constant linkage / comparison between Bhopal and the Nuclear Liability Bill, Sharma asserted that these are two separate issues.
"I feel that these are two separate issues. I do not think, the two issues are linked. Question of cooperate responsibility, culpability and liability are different issues," he said.
"There are defined laws," he added.
Sharma was here in Washington to attend the Indo-US CEOs Forum meeting.
He also had bilateral meetings with Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and US Trade Representatives Ron Kirk.
Mr. Sharma how can we believe you? Your congress party is directly involved with the killings of more than twenty thousand people there in Bhopal. Now the same party does not want to discuss the nuclear liability bill. I believe and demand it to be discussed openly so that no more Bhupal like incident in India in the future. If they are doing the right thing why are they afraid of discussing the issue in the public. Let the intellectuals take part and discuss in front of the public.
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