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Sunday, Dec 16, 2007
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Nuclear deal: Karat denies he warned of polls

Special Correspondent

“Such reports calculated to create an atmosphere of insecurity ”

Prakash Karat

NEW DELHI: Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat on Saturday denied reports that he had threatened elections on the issue of the India-U.S. civilian nuclear deal. He said such reports in recent days were “calculated to create an atmosphere of insecurity about the Central government.”

Referring to his interview carried by India Today, he said certain remarks he had not made were attributed to him. “The alleged remarks ‘if this is the issue they want to break up with us on, all political parties need to be prepared for elections anytime’ were not made by me,” he said.

“I had given written answers to the questions put by India Today, the transcript of which is available. Neither was the question ‘And if they do proceed [with the nuclear deal]? Are you prepared for elections’ put to me, nor have I replied in such a manner,” Mr. Karat said in a statement.

“Such reports surfacing in sections of the media in recent days are calculated to create an atmosphere of insecurity about the Central government. It is also a deliberate attempt to impair relations between the Left and the UPA. It is significant that such reports are appearing on the eve of the polling for the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections.

“It is unfortunate that India Today has resorted to such dubious journalism.”

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was quoted in agency reports from Raipur as saying that the Left parties’ threat to withdraw support on the India-U.S. nuclear deal issue was a “media creation.”

“I spoke to Prakash Karat today and he denied what had been published…” Mr. Mukherjee was quoted as having said.

India would negotiate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) an India-specific safeguards agreement and that would be put before the UPA-Left Committee on the deal, Mr. Mukherjee said.

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