When Mr Sinha referred to the UPA government’s failure in closing the deal with Russia for four additional nuclear reactors for Kundankulam and two senior cabinet ministers’ failure to meet the Russian president Vladimir Putin during their recent Moscow visit, Dr Singh snapped at Mr Sinha, pointing out how he could not meet his Japanese counterpart as a Finance Minister.

The Prime Minister taunted the BJP veteran saying perhaps Mr Sinha should be reminded that as the Finance Minister when he went to Japan he was not allowed to meet his counterpart in the host country. “He thinks all people are like him,” Dr Singh said.

Personal attack
Showing his dislike for Dr Singh’s comments, Mr Sinha said that the Prime Minister was being “very personal” in his comments. 

Mr Sinha said the Prime Minister was the chief economic adviser to the government in which he was the Union finance minister (during the Chandrashekhar government in 1990-91), indicating that whatever might be the circumstances, being a government official Dr Singh should also bear some responsibility for it.  

The Prime Ministerial repartee came when Mr Sinha ridiculed the treasury benches by pointing out that powerful cabinet ministers like Pranab Mukherjee and A K Antony could not meet the Russian premier during their Russia visits and Dr Singh’s tour also lasted for only 28 hours.

False charges
Responding to the Kundankulam issue, Dr Singh said that the deal could not be concluded because the government was yet to work out the details with International Atomic Energy Agency and Nuclear Suppliers Group and opposition charges that India buckled under American pressure, were false.

“It has always been understood that the agreements for four additional reactors (for the Kudankulam nuclear power project) can be signed only after India got the approval from IAEA for India-specific safeguards and work out with the NSG issues that are under discussion,” he said in a brief intervention.

The government came under scathing attack from the BJP and the Left leaders who argued that the deal would make India a subordinate ally to the USA. While BJP demanded renegotiation of the deal, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said the communists would not allow BJP to ride to power by voting the government down.