Date:05/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/05/stories/2008100555040600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Nuclear deal: Left demands Parliament session

Deal will benefit US nuclear industry, says CPI(M) leader

CPI, CPI(M) leaders take out rally in Hyderabad
Protest against “U.S. imperialistic policies”

HYDERABAD: The Left parties have demanded that the Central government convene a session of the Parliament to discuss the “adverse impact” of the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal on the country.

Leaders and activists of the CPI (M) and CPI took out a rally here on Saturday which they observed as a “black day” as a mark of protest against the “UPA government mortgaging the interests of the country to the U.S.” as well as the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to New Delhi.

Wearing black badges, the protestors raised slogans against the ‘imperialistic policies of the U.S.’ and the keenness of the UPA government to push through the controversial deal.

Addressing a gathering later, CPI deputy general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy lamented that the deal would prevent the country from conducting nuclear tests to safeguard its defence interests. This was evident from Ms. Rice’s latest statement that the U.S. could cancel the deal anytime if India conducted a nuclear test besides imposing economic and other sanctions.

Fitting lesson

CPI (M) State Secretariat member Y. Venkateswara Rao said the deal would benefit the U.S. nuclear industry as the Indian government had pledged to purchase reactors from there. The Left parties had decided to expose the UPA and the Congress on the deal and ensure that the people taught them a fitting lesson in the next elections. Andhra Pradesh CPI (M) secretary B.V. Raghavulu, his CPI counterpart K. Narayana and others were also present.