Committee to fix time frame for N-deal resolution

Hyderabad, Sep 15 (UNI) The Communist Party of India (Marxists) General Secretary Prakash Karat today said the committee, constituted by the Centre to resolve the 'Indo-US Nuclear deal' issue, would fix a time frame for its resolution in the meeting on September 19.

Addressing the press here, Mr Karat said a clear picture on the nuke deal issue was likely to emerge in the second meeting. The agenda for the discussions on the issue had been fixed in the first meeting, which included foreign policy initiatives adopted by the UPA government.

Stating that the nuclear deal issue would be solved only through deliberations, the CPI(M) leader hoped that the Congress-led UPA government would reconsider the deal.

Referring to the government's recent decision to concede the demands of Reliance company in fixing Krishna Godavari (KG) basin gas prices, Mr Karat alleged that ''the Centre solicited the company's profit and not for the cause of people. The decision would adversely affect gas power, fertiliser industries and the farmers.'' Demanding that the Centre should order an inquiry into the recent wheat imports at a cost of Rs 1,600 per quintal, he said the Left was not convinced of the government's explanation.

''The Centre had conspired to destabilise the Public Distribution System (PDS) by importing foodgrains,'' Mr Karat alleged, adding the government had failed to control the prices of essential commodities even after the inflation rates came down.

Threatening that the Left parties would intensify the land struggle in Andhra Pradesh if the government failed to concede their demands, he said the Party Central Committee would extend support to the state unit in realising the distribution of lands and house sites to the poor.

A strategy would be chalked out to intensify the land struggle at the state party council meeting to be held here tomorrow, he added.

UNI