LEFT-UPA NUKE COMMITTEE TO BE AN OPEN ENDED AFFAIR

By M RAMA RAO

New Delhi, 28 August (Surya): It is now clear that the proposed Left-UPA committee on nuclear agreement with the United States will be an open ended affair. That means no time limit will be officially set for the panel to complete its deliberations.

‘Why should we fix a time frame’, asked D Raja CPI national secretary here today. Both he and other Left leaders told Surya that it is upto the government how it wants to wrap up the committee’s work.Primarily, the Left wants the proposed committee to examine six issues. A B Bardhan, CPI General Secretary spelt out these issues after national executive held day-long deliberations here today.

These issues are 1. What is the impact of the Hyde Act of America on the nuclear agreement with the US?

2. Does the text of the agreement expect our foreign policy to be in tune with the foreign policy goals of America?

3. What is the impact of the deal on our indigenous nuclear power programme and strategic nuclear plans?

4. Whether the nuclear energy will be cost effective from national energy security needs since nuclear power will go up from 3% to 7 % over a time?

5. What type of nuclear safeguards we are accepting?

6. Is US drawing India into its strategic alliance? Also the implications of US president’s annual certificate for nuclear material supplies?

Fielding questions from reporters, CPI senior said, the government should have consulted the Left parties before entering into a dialogue with the US on nuclear issue. “We are supporting the government. Because of us the UPA has majority on the floor of Parliament. So we could have welcomed prior consultations. But the government has thrust the accord on us”.

Bardhan nevertheless made it clear that neither the CPI nor the other Left parties have any intention of destabilising the government. “We have no intention either to destabilise the country or force an immediate election on the nation”.

He added: “We have taken a democratic path to express what our concerns and objections are to the agreement with the United States. What is wrong?”

DIFFERENCES IN LEFT

The Left parties are split vertically on the question of remitting the nuke issue to a committee. Both the RSP and the Forward Bloc are opposed to the move and they have said so to the Government today when Pranab Mukherjee who heads the core committee of the Congress met the leaders of the two parties separately here today.

Abani Roy, General Secretary, RSP, told the Surya, “Our objection (to the committee) is fundamental. When we are opposed to the agreement, how can we welcome the committee idea? It is also objectionable to us”.

Forward Block leaders echoed the same though in a muted fashion.

Both CPI and CPI (M) are taking these objections in their stride. Survaram Sudhakara Reddy, CPI national committee secretary, said the RSP is known for its different stand on many issues. So their objections are not a surprise to us. A CPI (M) leader pointed out that the RSP and FB were parties to the committee demand which was articulated by Left parties on August 20. “The demand was incorporated in the joint statement we had issued on that day”.

PARLIAMENT DEBATE UNLIKELY

The turn of events indicate that the planned debate on nuclear deal in Parliament has its relevance. It is likely therefore it may not take place. More so because the Left parties will be busy with mass rallies along the east coast from Kolkata to Vizag against the naval exercises off the coast in the Bay of Bengal from the first to 15^th September. The session is slated to end on Sept 14. On its part the BJP is also averse to the debate now as it perceives any objections to the nuke deal would alienate from the party the middle classes and upper middle classes who view the US as an El’Dorado.