N-deal: Left wants Parliament to set parameters

In a move that could put the UPA regime in a tight spot in the monsoon session of Parliament, the CPI(M) has got in touch with other political parties to evolve a consensus and get Parliament to set parameters for the government to proceed on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The party wants Parliament to 'bind' the government not to make any departure from the understanding, contained in the July 18, 2005, Indo-US agreement, and spelt out by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in three separate statements in the two Houses at different points of time.

The PM had assured the Left parties at the UPA-Left Coordination Committee meeting last Saturday that he had apprised the US president of India's concerns about the provisions in the two versions of the Bill as drafted by the two committees of the US Senate and House of Representatives in the final run-up to the proposed enactment of an amendment to US law authorising nuclear sales to India.

The CPI(M) has, however, upped the ante claiming that the provisions in the above-mentioned Bill are not only a "clear departure" from the July 18 agreement, but also seek to "permanently lock India's foreign policy to US requirements" and subject its scientific research and development capabilities to "intrusive inspections" by the International Atomic Energy Agency and even US inspectors.

"We don't see it as a party issue but as a national security interest. We want Parliament to express its stance," CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said today, adding that his concerns were shared by many political parties as also by most of the scientific community. He did not spell out whether the CPI(M) wanted Parliament to express itself through a resolution.

"The last few months have shown convincingly that this deal will not lift existing embargoes on technology, will keep Indian foreign policy a permanent hostage to the US, and impose a host of discriminatory restrictions on the Indian nuclear programme," Karat said.

According to the CPI(M), unlike the five nuclear weapons states, India would have to accept safeguards in perpetuity. In case the US suspends nuclear supplies to India for any reason, India would not have the freedom to turn to other vendors in the Nuclear Suppliers' Group.

On enrichment and fuel reprocessing, the US Senate has stressed the need to further restrict supply of equipment and technologies to India, including those meant for 'dual use', said the Left party.