Protest 'dharna' against nuke deal

Bangalore, Sep 4 (UNI) As part of the nation-wide agitation, Left parties in Karnataka, including the CPI(M), today staged a 'dharna' in protest against the Indo-US nuclear deal and the joint Naval exercise.

The members of both CPI(M) and CPI in a procession to town hall, shouted slogans against the UPA on the issue of 123 Agreement and the joint Naval exercise, involving the US, off the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing the members, CPI(M) state secretary G N Nagaraj alleged that despite strong reservation expressed by the Left parties, the UPA was going ahead with the 123 Agreement.

''The Centre, while ignoring the implementation of the CMP, is, however, much aggressive in pursuing the nuclear deal even though it lacked support in Parliament,'' he added.

All India Forward Bloc state president G R Shivashankar and M D Harigovind (CPI) also criticised the UPA while addressing the gathering.

UNI