Raja demands debate on Indo-US pact in Parliament

Bhubaneswar, Aug 1: CPI Secretary D Raja today urged the Centre to provide the text of the India-US agreement 123 and demanded a full fledged discussion over it in Parliament.

Talking to newsmen here, Mr Raja said the government had promised the Left parties to provide detailed text of the document so that it could be discussed in Parliament.

He said the Left would like to have one more sitting with the government before August five on the issue.

The CPI leader also demanded that Parliament must ratify the Indo-US agreement 123 for which one had to amend the Constitution.

Mr Raja said, '' We cannot succumb to what the United States says, '' and asserted that the party would take a stand on the issue.

The UPA government, he said, must go for a mid course policy correction as it had completed three years in the office. The CPI leader said the UPA haD not taken adequate steps to address the concern of the farmers community and the agriculture production.

He said the Finance Minister claimed that the 9.4 per cent GDP growth rate would reach a double figure but this had not reflected in the overall price situation as prices of essentials and other products had gone up by 30 per cent.

The Finance Minister's claim did not hold good in over all price situation in the country, the CPI leader remarked.

UNI