Passage of nuke deal by US Congress a historic moment: Cong

New Delhi, Oct 2 (PTI) With the American Congress approving the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal, an upbeat Congress party Thursday said it was a "historic moment" for India which has joined the elite nuclear club without having signed treaties like Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (N.P.T.) and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (C.T.B.T.).

"It is definitely a historic moment. It is definitely a
cause for celebration. Don't forget there is no other entity
ever in the history of the nuclear development in the globe
which has no C.T.B.T., no N.P.T., no other commitments except
123 (accord with the U.S.) which brings us into the nuclear
club," Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.

Reacting to the passage of the deal in the U.S.
Senate, he said, "No other country has uranium and reactor
supply assurances as we do without signing those treaties.

"No other country ever in the history of the world has
passed through the 'fire test' in such a remarkably short time
--through N.S.G., I.A.E.A., House of Representatives and the
Senate. It is lightning speed which is unheard of in the world
and ultimately a tribute to India's standing in the world," he
said.

Taking a dig the Left and other parties which opposed
the deal, Singhvi said, "Unfortunately we had (lost) over
three years because of domestic opposition."

Recalling that India had moved the international arena
only in July this year, Singhvi said in three months the
country crossed the process of moving through the I.A.E.A.,
Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.) and the U.S. Congress. PTI SC