By IANS
New Delhi : The Left will continue to oppose the India-US nuclear deal, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat said Saturday, a day after the communists gave a go-ahead to the government for formal talks with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“The Left is determined to oppose this deal,” Karat told NDTV 24×7 TV channel in an interview.
As per the agreement with the Left worked out Friday, the government could hold talks with IAEA over a safeguards agreement for its civilian nuclear reactors, but the nuclear deal will not be inked without a nod from the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-Left committee.
However, a day later, the key Left leader reiterated the nuclear deal was not in India’s favour.
“We think it’s bad for the country. No deal can be above parliament and the interests of the country.
“So this government, which is a coalition government, will have to come to terms with the fact that majority of the parties and members of parliament are going to say… do not go ahead. That is the bottom-line. The government has to take a decision,” he said.
Karat said the government seemed eager to please the Americans, while it has not signed any agreement with Russia for nuclear cooperation.
“The Russian deal is a better deal. We are not going to the IAEA for the Russian agreement but still want to for the 123 agreement. The inference is that the government does not want to displease the Americans,” he said.
The 123 agreement is the bilateral document for operationalising cooperation in the field of civilian nuclear energy between India and the US. While its contents have been finalised, the agreement can only be signed after India concludes an IAEA safeguards agreement, the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) changes its rules in India’s favour and the US Congress approves the text.