Rediff

New Delhi, Sep 4: Accusing the prime minister of "misleading" Parliament and the country on the nuclear deal issue, main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday demanded the resignation of the Manmohan Singh government.

"The Manmohan Singh government has no business to continue in office and should leave immediately," senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told a press conference in Delhi.

The former external affairs minister said in view of the "gross breach" of privilege of both the Houses of Parliament, an immediate session should be convened "within the shortest possible time" to enable the BJP to move a privilege motion against the prime minister if the UPA did not quit.

The BJP made the demands in the wake of the disclosure of correspondence between the Bush administration and the US Congress that the pact would be off if India conducted a nuclear test.

Sinha said the government's statement in Parliament on the nuclear deal and what the US administration has told its lawmakers were "diametrically opposed to each other."

The BJP leader said if there were so many differences on the interpretation of the deal right from the beginning, then various problems would crop up in the later stages.

"This is a sure recipe for spoiling Indo-US bilateral relations," he said, adding that BJP's "worst fears" had come true.

On the Hyde Act, Sinha said it is not only relevant but it is binding on the agreement.

"It is binding on the country. We cannot escape the rigours of the Hyde Act," he said.

The correspondence, which was made public by the US, vindicate BJP's stand, he said, adding "the position of India and US is poles apart."