Date:05/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/05/stories/2007090562380800.htm

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Left parties ask UPA government to wait for panel report on nuclear deal

Special Correspondent

Joint naval exercise will affect country’s territorial sovereignty, says Prakash Karat

— Photo: K. Pichumani

making their stand clear: Communist leaders at a public meeting where a book on the Indo-U.S. agreement was released, in Chennai on Tuesday. (From Left) CPI secretary D. Pandian, CPI (M) state secretary N. Varadarajan, Central committee member T.K. Rangarajan, Forward Bloc all India general secretary Debabrata Biswas, CPI (M) all India general secretary Prakash Karat, CPI national secretary D. Raja, RSP general secretary Abony Roy and CPI national executive member R. Nallakannu are in the picture.

CHENNAI: The Left parties have urged the United Progressive Government at the Centre not to go ahead with the Indo-U.S. nuclear agreement till the proposed committee examined their concerns over the deal.

Addressing a public meeting here on Tuesday, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat pointed out that the United Progressive Alliance Government was a minority regime, and its survival depended on the support of Left parties.

In the Common Minimum Programme, there was not a single word about the strategic alliance with the United States. If the Indo-U.S. agreement came up for debate in Parliament, a majority of the members would oppose it.

Mr. Karat said the agreement was unacceptable as it would allow the U.S. to blackmail India. The country would not be able to pursue an independent foreign policy.

He pooh-poohed the Government’s claim that the agreement would provide for future energy requirement of the country.

He said the present share of nuclear power was just 3 per cent of the total production and would increase to 7 per cent by the year 2020. So this would not be a solution to meet the future energy demand of the country.

Criticising the Centre for the joint naval exercise off Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal, Mr. Karat said it would affect the country’s territorial sovereignty.

Any joint naval exercise by the U.S. and other countries would be against national interest.