Now, UPA, Left parties run into 'operational' problems

"Operationalise" was a word over which a dispute went on in political circles throughout Monday. While the government maintained that the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement could be dubbed operational only after the US Congress had finally approved it, the Left parties stuck to their stand that the government could not go to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) until the Hyde panel had given its report. According to the CPI(M), attending an IAEA meeting is the first step towards "operationalisation".

A top government negotiator said, "We are trying to create a mechanism to address disputes and implications of the Hyde Act. But this can't be conditional. It has to be allowed to work independently. But we need to move ahead to IAEA (on the India-specific safeguards and the Additional Protocol). The two things can't be clubbed."

"We have a difference of opinion on the definition of operationalisation. We will interpret the term 'operationalisation' in our way. They must trust us," he said.

The government also fielded Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal to build its case. At a press conference, Sibal said operationalisation of the agreement would not take place till May 2008 when the energy meeting would consider the agreement.

After this meeting, the agreement would go to the US Congress. He also clarified that national laws did not apply to US uranium after it reached India and said even China had not been able to secure the kind of concessions India has got from the US.

However, there were other unforeseen difficulties. Two other Opposition parties, the BJP and the Samajwadi Party demanded that they too be given a hearing on the nuclear deal and demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee, asserting that a committee of just the Left and the government would not assuage their concerns. As a JPC is unlikely to give its report in less than a year, this demand was rejected by the government.

A day after they left decision-making to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the UPA allies were standing firm behind the government.

But there were signs that they could jump ship if faced with the prospect of an early election. At the UPA allies meeting on Sunday night, although Rashtriya Janata Dal Lalu Prasad said he supported the government position, he added the rider that "we have to consider left's point of view."

Ramvilas Paswan of the Lok Janashakti Party said he feared that a deal with US could send a wrong signal to Muslim voters.

Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress party (NCP) was the only UPA leader who asked the UPA to go ahead and face voters, if necessary. Later, Pawar told some of his colleagues: "The coalition government has run for three years. Now we can go for a vote."

Gandhi, while asking the allies to stay united, said something should be worked out to ensure this problem (of an early election) was avoided. The PM and foreign minister explained to allies why the deal was in national interest.

Finally, the allies agreed that the government should move ahead to negotiate with the IAEA, but also create a mechanism to address Left concerns.