'Consider grave consequences of US pressure'

New Delhi, Sept 21: Refusing to soften its opposition against the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, the Left parties on Thursday cautioned the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government to consider the issues raised by them in 'right earnest' before it proceeds to operationalise the deal.

"These instances of reconfirmation of the concerns expressed by us on the grave consequences to India's sovereignty by this deal must be considered in right earnest by the UPA government before it proceeds to operationalise it," Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said.

Asking the government to wait before giving a nod to the deal, Yechury said the UPA must not rush to operationalise the 123-agreement.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) has also asked the government not to succumb to American "pressures" and has asked the government to put the deal on hold.

"It (The nuclear deal) is such arm twisting of India to change the direction of its policy that will increase as the nuclear deal anchored within the Hyde Act gets implemented," Yechury opined.

"Such pressures will not be confined to foreign policy positions alone. It will extend to vital areas such as defence cooperation, security and intelligence collaboration etc.," he added.

ANI
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