CPI(M) gives time to UPA to decide on nuke deal

Khammam, Andhra Pradesh, Aug 21 (UNI) Taking a tough stand against operationalising of the Indo-US nuclear deal, CPI(M) national general secretary Prakash Karat today gave a few weeks time to the UPA to decide whether it would be with the US or ''with the Indian people''.

''The Prime Minister and the Congress party have to decide within a few weeks from now whether to go with the US or remain firmly with the people of India,'' he told a public meeting here, after unveiling a stupa in memory of seven activists killed in police firing on July 28.

Asserting that the Left parties were vehemently opposed to any strategic alliance with the US, he said the deal not only related to nuclear field, but covered the entire gamut of external affairs, paving way for the ''imperialist'' US to dictate India's foreign policy.

''We have told the government in clear terms there can be no strategic alliance with the imperialist US. The Left parties are awaiting a good response from the government,'' he added.

Stoutly opposing the alleged growing influence of the imperialist US on India's foreign policy, Mr Karat charged the Manmohan Singh government with giving a go-by to the non-alignment foreign policy enunciated by country's first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Recalling the circumstances under which the Left parties extended outside support to the Manmohan Singh government to keep the ''communal forces'' at bay, the Marxist leader accused the UPA of pursuing ''suicidal'' economic policies at the dictates of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the US, leading to agrarian crisis and more suicides by farmers.

Coinciding with the proposed joint naval exercise with the US in the Bay of Bengal next month, he said he and his CPI counterpart A B Bardhan would lead two demonstrations from Chennai and Kolkata, respectively to converge at Visakhapatnam on September nine to protest against the nuclear deal and ''imperialist USA.'' The naval forces of the very same America had threatended India when Bangladesh was liberated from Pakistan, he recalled.

UNI