Hyde Act of no use until N-deal halted

New Delhi, Aug 20: Left parties today made it clear that the setting up of any mechanism to evaluate the Hyde Act implications in the wake of the 123 Agreement is meaningless unless it is preceded by the government's decision to halt the Indo-US nuke deal.

The suggestion for evolving the mechanism came at the parleys when the Congress leadership remained engaged yesterday in trying to find a way out of the impasse created by the Left demand that the pact be be put on hold.

While CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said any committee can have a meaning if in the meanwhile the operationalising of the deal is stopped, CPM senior leader and Polit Bureau member M K Pandhe said if the government as the first step to operationalise the deal chooses to negotiate with the International Atomic Energy Agency next month, the evolving of the mechansim has no relevance.

RSP Secretary Abani Roy, holding a similar view, said even the US would not agree to amend the 123 Agreement." So we find no use of such a committee. This is only buying time strategy." CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat has also said," any committee( by way of mechaism) can be set up" to discuss the implications of the 123 agreement and the Hyde Act but the UPA government must" first tell us whether it is prepared not to proceed with the operationalisation of the deal." Incidentally, the RSP has already decided to impress upon the other Left parties that they should consider the option of withdrawing the support to the Manmohan Singh government.

But the CPI(M) senior leader and party Deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Mohammad Salim found no harm in evolving of a mechanism even if" it is not lasting solution." Mr Salim said one positive step towards the dialogue in discussing and clarifying the issue relating to the deal is developments can be better addressed.

"However, instead of being subjective, the mechanism can come out with an objective study provided it pushes pause buttons." On the BJP's" provocation" to the Left to 'bite' instead of 'bark' as for as the withdrawal of the Left support is concerned, Mr Bardhan refused to comment saying that the saffron party could not be taken seriously, while Mr Salim said philsophically," we are engaged a delicate surgery. "The CPI(M) leader said "besides the condition of the patient( government) is very critical. As a good surgeon it is the duty of the Left to conduct successful surgical operation and keep the patient alive. "He said this is a really big challenge before the Left even as the BJP think that pulling the oxygen tube is the only soution. "It is not a constructive suggestion. It is sheer political opportunism and the selfish approach."

UNI