Indian Government wins confidence vote
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Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Government has won a vote of confidence in parliament, ensuring the survival of the ruling coalition and a civilian nuclear deal with the United States.
The Government said it would now push ahead with the pact, which would give India access to foreign nuclear fuel and technology and end decades of isolation, as well as work towards reforms to liberalise the trillion-dollar economy.
"This will send a message to the world at large that India's head and heart is sound, that India is prepared to take its rightful place in the comity of nations," Mr Singh told reporters. "I have always said the deal was important and now we know it."
The Government's joy at its victory was tempered by a bribery scandal, after Opposition lawmakers interrupted the debate to wave wads of cash to protest against what they said were bribes offered by the government to abstain.
The furore was described as one of the lowest points in parliamentary history, and led to fresh demands for Mr Singh to resign, and catcalls preventing him from delivering his concluding remarks after the two-day debate.
-Reuters
