August 22, 2007	Wednesday	Sha’aban 8, 1428

NEW DELHI, Aug 21: Indian opposition MPs disrupted parliament on Tuesday after New Delhi’s envoy to Washington reportedly said they were acting like “headless chicken” for opposing a nuclear deal with the US.

India’s upper and lower houses of parliament were adjourned as angry legislators demanded the recall of ambassador Ronen Sen.

India’s Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee later read an apology to parliament from Sen, who was closely involved in the nuclear agreement.

“My comment about running round like headless chicken looking for a comment here or a comment there was a tactless observation on some of my media friends and most certainly not with reference to any honourable MP,” Sen said in the message to parliament’s lower house.

“However, if I have unwittingly hurt any sentiments, I offer my unqualified apologies.” But opposition MPs pressed demands for the ambassador’s recall after the statement, drowning out calls by the speaker for order.

The comments follow rejection by communist allies of the Congress party-led coalition as well as the main opposition of a civilian nuclear cooperation deal, which some analysts say threatens the survival of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government.Currently more than three years into its five-year tenure, the government signed in July 2005 the nuclear deal that promises to lift a three-decade embargo on civilian nuclear technology to India.

But communist parties that give crucial support to the government from outside cabinet say the deal, the full details of which were disclosed on Aug 3, sells out India’s sovereignty on issues such as nuclear tests.

The main opposition Hindu nationalists are demanding a full, all-party parliamentary committee inquiry into the accord, which could effectively block New Delhi from opening talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the next step towards implementing the deal.—AFP