PM made spectacle of himself, NSG campaign was unnecessary: Cong

AS INDIA’S bid to become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) failed, the Congress on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a “spectacle” of himself and of India by openly lobbying for an NSG entry. It termed the outcome a “colossal failure” and an “embarrassment” to the country, saying the campaign was “unnecessary” as the NSG had already given an India-specific waiver way back in 2008.

The main Opposition party also hit out at the government for dropping its objection to Pakistan’s entry into the NSG and asked the PM to clarify on the change in stand. By pushing aggressively for NSG membership, the Congress said, the government also created a situation where India was equated with Pakistan, a nuclear proliferator.

“It is a huge diplomatic letdown after raising expectations to such a great height. The Prime Minister must explain what went wrong and what his stand on Pakistan particularly is, about Pakistan’s standard and behaviour on non-proliferation, about A Q Khan’s work, Pakistan’s role in giving nuclear technology to rogue countries... in view of that how can India welcome Pakistan’s membership of NSG?” former Union minister Prithviraj Chavan said.

Senior spokesperson Anand Sharma said, “We failed to understand why the PM and the government made so much noise about it and did the hectic campaigning and lobbying. India did not need it. In 2008, the NSG gave an India-specific waiver that allowed India’s integration with the nuclear mainstream after decades of nuclear isolation and apartheid.”

He added, “Diplomacy is always done with wisdom and in silence. We have never seen diplomacy being conducted in a manner in which Modi and his government did, making it very clear whom you are lobbying with and whom you are petitioning... It was an embarrassment for India to do what was not required.”

The Congress said the PM and his government should have done such intense lobbying for securing membership of the UN Security Council. “When there is no obstacle when it comes to nuclear trade with the NSG countries, it was unnecessary. We do not know why India showed its desperation and allowed India to be equated with Pakistan on the issue of NSG membership. It is high time Modi realises that diplomacy requires gravitas, depth, seriousness and not public tamasha,” Sharma said.

Chavan and Sharma drew a parallel between the present situation and that of 2008. “When the (NSG) waiver was given, China was very much there. Then it was a victory of diplomacy. I don’t know who advised the PM to go around asking every other country for support. He made a spectacle of himself and of India,” Sharma said.

Chavan said the statement by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj — that India has no objection to the entry of Pakistan into the NSG based on merit — was shocking. “Pakistan’s record of non-proliferation is deplorable... with this background, for India to say that we have no objection to Pakistan getting NSG membership is not acceptable at all... We need an explanation,” he said.