Opposition parties today launched a scathing attack on the government for its alleged move to dilute the Civil Nuclear Liability Act ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US and demanded that it takes no step which would compromise the nation's security.
Left parties warned the government that it would commit an "illegal act" if tries to dilute the Act to "benefit" US interests while BJP termed the development "very worrisome and a cause of serious concern".
The main Opposition party insisted that a decision on the issue should be taken after due diligence and no step should be taken that imperils the safety of Indians or compromises the nation's security.
"The reported media observation that government is trying to compromise the importance of Section 17 (b) of the Nuclear Liability Act passed by Parliament is very worrisome and a cause of serious concern," Deputy Leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad told PTI.
He alleged this whole exercise is being done "in a hurry" before Prime Minister Singh's meeting with US President Barack Obama on September 27 so that the former can "give a gift" to certain US companies during his visit.
CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said it is evident that the UPA government is succumbing to the pressure of the US administration to safeguard their companies' interests but this cannot be at the expense of the interests of the country and the safety and security of Indian citizens.
"If the government wants to succumb to US pressures (to clinch a deal), I am afraid they will be shown as having done an illegal act which will be against the interests of the country," he said.
