UPA-Left thaw on nuclear deal visible in Parliament

New Delhi, Aug 13: There were visible signs of a thaw between the ruling UPA and the Left on the issue of India's civilian nuclear energy cooperation deal with the US as the latter did not take part in the ruckus created by the opposition BJP members in the Parliament. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who was earlier scheduled to make a statement on the recently concluded 123-agreement in the Lok Sabha at 3 PM, preponed it by an hour when the Lok Sabha assembled for the second time in the day due to adjournments forced by BJP legislators.

Dr. Singh reportedly met Left leaders during the intervening period and assured them that the deal would not in any way "impinge the country's sovereignty", including its decision to conduct a future nuclear test.

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With Left leaders already toning down their opposition and making it clear to the Prime Minister that the "integrity of the government had never been in question," Dr. Singh began reading his statement amidst BJP members rushing to the Well of the House and indulging in anti government slogans.

Dr. Singh, who did not react to the BJP's commotion, continued making his statement though he remained almost inaudible.

Left leaders remained seated in their seats, while Congress members occasionally thumped their desk when Dr. Singh said: "Nothing in the Agreement would impinge on our strategic programme, our three-stage nuclear power programme, or our ability to conduct advanced R and D (Research and Development)."

He seemed a little unsettled by BJP slogans like- Stop pandering to the US, but remained undeterred.

Earlier on Sunday, CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat had asserted that his party will not back track from its opposition to the nuclear deal, and questioned whether Congress leaders were ready to run the government.

"It is the responsibility of the Congress to see that the government does not take any policy which contradicts with the Common Minimum Programme (CMP)," Karat told reporters in Kerala.

The Left parties today stuck to its demand of a debate in the House under Rule 193 that does not entail voting, while the opposition BJP, which too have rejected the latest 123-agreement- operational part of the nuclear deal- have called for debate under Rule 184 that entails voting.

Anguished by Left's consistent criticisms against the deal, Prime Minister Singh on Thursday told the Left parties "to do whatever they want to do."

"If they (Left) want to withdraw support, so be it..." Dr. Singh told a Kolkata based daily in an interview.

ANI

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