Nishikant Dubey Accuses Congress of Compromising India's Nuclear Sovereignty

BJP MP Targets Rahul Gandhi Over 2006 Hyde Act, Claims 1995 Nuclear Test Was Abandoned Under US Pressure

New Delhi, June 12 (TheTrendingPeople): BJP Lok Sabha MP Nishikant Dubey has launched a sharp critique of the Congress party and its senior leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that key decisions taken during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) era under US influence undermined India’s nuclear sovereignty. In a series of posts on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Dubey pointed specifically to the Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Act of 2006 and the aborted 1995 nuclear test as examples of India’s submissiveness to American pressure during Congress rule.

Hyde Act: A Law That “Made Us Slaves”?

In a strongly worded statement posted in Hindi, Dubey alleged that the 2006 US-India nuclear agreement—under which the Hyde Act was passed by the US Congress—effectively reduced India to a subordinate status.

“We became slaves under this law of America till 2006/2008. America can inspect almost all the citizens of our country and strategic nuclear plants whenever it wants. Can India also go to America and respond in the same manner?” he wrote.

Dubey posed a rhetorical question to Rahul Gandhi, who served as General Secretary of the Congress party at the time of the nuclear deal. He further alleged that the deal was passed under foreign pressure and internal political manipulation.

Questions on 2008 Vote and MP "Purchase"

Dubey’s post also resurrected the controversy surrounding the 2008 trust vote in Parliament, which was held after the Left parties withdrew support over the nuclear agreement. He claimed that "MPs were bought" and that “parties were broken” to ensure the nuclear deal passed.

“What was the pressure from America that in 2008, parties were broken and MPs were bought with money to pass this law?” Dubey asked, hinting at the political turmoil and bribery allegations that marked the confidence vote.

Congress "Feared" U.S. Response in 1995, Claims Dubey

Dubey didn’t stop at the Hyde Act. In a further allegation posted a day earlier, he cited recently declassified US government documents that purportedly reveal that the Congress government under Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao had planned a nuclear test in 1995 but aborted it due to US intervention.

The BJP MP claimed the plans were leaked—possibly by a senior Indian minister or official—which then prompted an urgent diplomatic response from Washington. According to Dubey, the U.S. President personally sent a night-time message urging a meeting with Prime Minister Rao’s Principal Secretary, A.N. Varma.

“Go back and read the history of how Rahul Gandhi, whom I call ‘Rahul Baba,’ gets scared of America,” Dubey said, adding that the Congress party abandoned the test due to fear of U.S. backlash.

Contrasting BJP’s Nuclear Record

Dubey contrasted the Congress government’s “hesitation” with the bold stance of the BJP under then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In 1998, the Vajpayee government went ahead with nuclear tests at Pokhran, leading to global condemnation and sanctions but demonstrating India’s strategic autonomy, Dubey said.

“When the BJP came to power under Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998, we proceeded with the nuclear tests at Pokhran despite facing international sanctions and diplomatic pressure.”

He praised the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for upholding India’s national security priorities with equal resolve, claiming that under Modi, India has acted independently on the global stage without succumbing to external pressures.

Background: What Is the Hyde Act?

The Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006 was a key piece of legislation passed by the U.S. Congress to facilitate nuclear cooperation with India. It was a prerequisite for the 2008 U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement, which allowed India access to nuclear technology and fuel from international suppliers despite not being a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

However, critics in India—both then and now—have argued that certain provisions of the Hyde Act infringe on India’s sovereignty, particularly those requiring periodic reports to the U.S. Congress and conditionalities related to nuclear testing and foreign policy alignments.

Congress Yet to Respond

As of publication, neither the Congress party nor Rahul Gandhi has issued an official response to Nishikant Dubey’s statements. The party has previously defended the nuclear deal as a historic achievement that ended India’s global isolation in nuclear technology and safeguarded national interests through parallel agreements with the IAEA and NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group).

Political Implications Ahead

Dubey's statements come at a time when the BJP is seeking to reclaim its narrative on national security and foreign policy amid an increasingly polarized political environment. By invoking historical decisions, Dubey appears to be drawing a direct contrast between Congress’s alleged compromises and the BJP’s hardline, nationalist approach.

With the new Lok Sabha in session and the Opposition gearing up for a robust debate on various issues, the resurfacing of nuclear diplomacy and sovereignty may once again become a focal point in Parliament and political discourse.

Key Takeaways:

• BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accuses Congress and Rahul Gandhi of compromising India's sovereignty through the Hyde Act and decisions in 1995 and 2008.
• Cites declassified documents claiming a planned nuclear test was aborted under US pressure.
• Questions legitimacy of the 2008 Parliament vote that approved the nuclear deal.
• Contrasts Congress’s actions with BJP’s assertive nuclear stance under Vajpayee and Modi.

As election battles shift towards foreign policy legacies and national security, Nishikant Dubey’s explosive remarks are poised to reignite a debate over India’s nuclear journey and the political compromises that may have shaped it. Whether these statements will lead to a formal discussion in Parliament or a rebuttal from the Congress leadership remains to be seen.