Left, Govt remain divided on Indo-US nuclear deal

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Aug 8: The UPA government and the Left remained divided on the Indo-US nuclear deal in spite of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking them to change their stand on the issue.

Sources told UNI that the Prime Minister asked Left leaders Prakash Karat and A B Bardhan last night to reconsider their opposition to the 123 agreement as it has been negotiated and signed between the two countries and approved by the Indian Cabinet.

The Left leaders, however, remained firm on their stand rejecting the deal and instead urged the government to take a re-look at the agreement and not operationalise it.

Rejecting the nuclear deal, four Left parties -- CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP -- said they were unable to accept the agreement as it bound India to the US strategic goals. During their telephonic converation, which took place a few hours after the Left formally rejected the deal, they reiterated their stand, saying the agreement was unequal as it commited India to perpetuity without binding the United States to its commitment.

The Left leaders said the agreement favoured the US to the detriment of India's national interests and her independent foreign policy.

When the Prime Minister pointed out that the agreement could not be renegotiated, the Left leaders said they, too, cannot alter their position. '' How can we retract?,'' the Left leaders asked the Prime Minister.

CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan and Forward Bloc Natonal Secretary G Devrajan said there was no question of their going back on their ''unanimous stand.'' When pointed that the Left's stand could embarrass the government it has been supporting from outside for over three years now, a top Marxist leader quipped ''Yes it will...... problem to hoga (There will be problem).

Mr Devrajan said the Left MPs have been asked to finalise their Parliamentary strategy on the issue in consonance with the unanimous rejection of the deal. Leaders of the Parliamentary groups of the respective Left parties are meeting tomorrow to finetune their floor strategy during the Monsoon session which begins on Friday.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunshi said the Prime Minister will make a suo motu statement on the 123 agreement in Parliament on Monday.

UNI

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