Left halted Centre from signing Indo-US nuke deal: Karat

Coimbatore, Mar 29 (UNI) CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat today said had the Left parties not opposed the Indo-US Nuclear Deal, the Centre would have inked the deal by this time.

Speaking at the 19th Party Congress here, he said the Left parties had opposed the neo-liberal policies of the Centre, which included disinvestment and privatisation of profit-making public sector units.

Mr Karat said the Left would oppose FDI in retail trade and higher education, privatisation of pension funds and dilution of labour laws.

Though the Left had supported the UPA government to keep communal forces at bay, it wanted the government to adopt policies, which were beneficiary to the common people.

He further alleged that, ''the Congress-led UPA government believed in economic policies, which benefitted big businessmen and the affluent.'' Stressing on the importance of a third alternative, CPI(M) General Secy said the third alternative should be based on a preconceived set of policies and not a mere electoral alliance.

It should be based on pro-people economic policies, social justice measures and an independent foreign policy, he said.

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