From correspondents in Delhi, India, 09:31 PM IST

The Congress party Friday said the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left were 'playing politics of opportunism' over the India-US nuclear deal. It stressed that the agreement in no way compromised India's national interests.

'The 123 agreement clearly says that if India goes for a nuclear test, the fuel supply would be stopped. There is no need of a nuclear test for India (and) hence no question of fuel supply being stopped arises,' said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

'Both the parties (BJP and Left) are playing politics of opportunism for small gains. It is unfortunate that even after the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government has won the trust vote, they are demanding the prime minister's resignation on the issue,' Singhvi told reporters.

On the question of India surrendering its right to nuclear tests following the agreement, he said: 'In the last 35 years, we have only twice conducted nuclear tests. If after two decades there will be a need for us to go for nuclear tests, we will have enough reserves by that time.'

The BJP and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) asked Manmohan Singh to step down after the Washington Post published details of a letter of the US State Department to the US Congress in which it categorically said that all nuclear commerce with India would be immediately halted if it conducted a nuclear test.

Singhvi said the letter, which is being presented as evidence by the opposition of the government compromising India's national interests, was completely irrelevant to the government.

'It is a matter of communication exchange between two US departments and how does that affect India's nuclear agreement with the US?' he asked.

'If the deal does not go through, then the maximum applause will come from Islamabad, Beijing and Nagpur (RSS headquarters), where the remote control of BJP lies,' Singhvi said taking a dig at the BJP.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)