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Monday, Aug 20, 2007
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Worst agreement, says Sharad Yadav

Special Correspondent

Sharad Yadav

BANGALORE: The Janata Dal (United) on Sunday described the India-U.S. nuclear deal as the “worst agreement” signed in the 60-year-old history of Independent India. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government headed by Prime Minster Manmohan Singh would fall if it proceeded further with the agreement, it said.

Addressing a party workers’ meeting, JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav welcomed the opposition to the deal from the Left parties, who were providing outside support to the Congress-led UPA government.

He said the India-U.S. nuclear agreement would deprive the country of its non-aligned status. “We will lose our traditional identity as a non-aligned nation and be forced to go along with the U.S. on several critical foreign policy matters,” he said.

SEZ policy under fire

Mr. Yadav, who met a group of farmers in Nandagudi in Hoskote taluk, criticised the Special Economic Zone policy of the UPA government and the JD(S)-BJP government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy in the State. The SEZ policy was taking away fertile land from farmers and endangering the food security of the country. The UPA government that came to power promising several welfare schemes for farmers had done nothing so far. He accused the Centre and the State governments of promoting SEZs with the aim of divesting farmers of their lands. His party would launch a campaign against it.

Several public sector units in the country had turned sick after the introduction of economic reforms, Mr. Yadav said. Governments could promote SEZs on those lands, instead of acquiring land from farmers. The employment of Dalits, minorities, weaker sections and women had gone down during the UPA rule.

The Prime Minister was keen on operationalising the nuclear treaty to please U.S. President George Bush. “The Prime Minister is not bothered about the problems of the common poor.”

“While a section of the English-speaking youth have benefited from the growth in the IT sector, those coming out of language schools are facing unemployment,” he said.

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