Digvijaya wants government to clarify on N-weapons use policy

In view of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's comments questioning the stated 'no first use' of nuclear weapons policy, the Central government should come clean on the issue, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said on Friday.

Parrikar had on Thursday questioned the merits of being bound to the 'no first use' policy of India vis-a-vis nuclear weapons.

"The Prime Minister and the government must come clean on this. Have they changed the stated policy of the Government of India as far as first use of nuclear weapons is concerned," Singh asked, on the sidelines of a Goa Congress organisational meet in the state capital.

"First use of our nuclear arsenal is contrary to the stated policy of the Government of India. We are a land that believes in the Gandhian principles of non-violence and we have always believed in disarmament policy of nuclear weapons initiated by Rajiv Gandhi," Singh added.

Singh also alleged that Parrikar has been making irresponsible statements as the Defence Minister.

--IANS

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