The Hindu : Front Page : Left parties to determine stand on nuclear deal by weekend

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Thursday, Aug 16, 2007
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Left parties to determine stand on nuclear deal by weekend

K.V. Prasad

Strategy planned is to broad-base opposition to Congress-led Government

NEW DELHI: A meeting of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India will be held over the weekend to determine the stand to be taken on the nuclear deal with the United States.

The CPI (M) Polit Bureau and CPI’s Central Secretariat will have sessions ahead of a possible discussion in Parliament next week on the deal.

The Left has announced that they are “unable to accept” the 123 agreement and urged the Manmohan Singh Government not to operationalise it.

Though there is no constitutional provision necessitating Parliament approval before the Government enters into international agreements, in case there is a vote after a discussion (as the Bharatiya Janata Party is insisting), the numbers in the Lok Sabha would go against the coalition.

It is clear that if the Left parties vote against the motion, then the United Progressive Alliance would be seen in minority.

Although there is no need to for the Government to resign after losing a substantive motion, its moral authority would be eroded.

“Who is going to benefit from such a position? Of course, it would be the BJP and we cannot allow that to happen. Yet, at the same time we cannot remain silent when the UPA Government that enjoys our support goes ahead with this deal…,” a senior Left leader said.

More importantly, any move to bring down the Government on an issue of foreign policy even with long term implications would make it difficult for the Left parties give an explanation to people.

The issue is not exactly on top of the agenda for the common person, the Left leaders feel.

The strategy being planned is to broad-base the opposition to the Congress-led Government.

The CPI has already demanded that the Left parties “redefine” their relationship with the UPA and draw a distance from the coalition.

The Left parties are likely to spell out areas of concern at the meeting.

Issues relating to “aam aadmi,” impact of rise in prices of essential commodities, sporadic communal clashes in various parts if the country, social security measures that the Government is yet to implement and other areas of disagreement would be identified.

Foreign policy

Pursuit of an independent foreign policy that would include relations with India and the United States would also come under discussion.

After the last coordination committee meeting, CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat had said the Left parties could not take up the issue of reviewing relations with the UPA.

The exercise would begin this weekend at the party level.

The UPA-Left Coordination Committee has not formally met since November last year and there appears no enthusiasm on either to revive it.

Formally pulling down curtains on the mechanism could be one signal on the growing gulf between the UPA and the Left.

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