CPI(M) reiterates its stand on nuke deal

Hyderabad, Aug 25 (UNI) CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury today once again urged the Centre to put the Indo-US civil nuclear deal on hold until a detailed evaluation of its impact on the country could be done.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr Yechury said this was the stand taken by the Politburo of his party and endorsed by the Central Committee which met recently.

Stating that there was presently no crisis at the Centre, he said, ''all my party is asking is that the pause button be pressed on the nuclear deal until a detailed evaluation and if the government agrees to it, there will be no crisis.'' He said the Congress' core committee had discussed the matter and it was scheduled to come up for discussion in a meeting between his party and the Congress next week.

Mr Yechuri said his party, however, felt that the agreement was against the sovereignty of the country. He also said it was wrong to argue that 123 agreement and Hyde Act were different and there was nothing wrong in implementing the agreement.

He said the government could attend the meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency as a member country, ''but should not take this agenda forward''. He said CPI(M)'s main agenda was that the issue should be properly evaluated.

UNI