Kerala Assembly adopts resolution against nuclear deal

Thiruvananthapuram, July 11 : The Kerala Assembly adopted a rare resolution here today asking the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre, to drop the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

The 240-member House adopted the private resolution moved by V. N. Vasavan of Communist Party of India-Marxist asking the UPA government not to go ahead with the deal.

In all, 79 members voted in favour of the resolution with only the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) members taking part in the voting.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) members abstained from voting. Vasavan moved the resolution soon after Congress MLA Sivadasan Nair gave notice for an adjournment motion on the State Government's decision to hike the bus fares, which was rejected by the Speaker K. Radhakrishnan.

As the Speaker asked Vasavan to move his resolution, the UDF members rushed to the well of the House and began shouting slogans and tore off copies of the anti-nuclear deal resolution.

Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanadnan said that the nuclear deal would seriously harm India's interests and its signing would amount to surrendering of the country's sovereignty to 'American imperialism'.

The Speaker had to adjourn the House as both LDF and UDF members trooped out shouting slogans against each other.

ANI