US wants to convert India into a subordinate ally: CPI(M)
New Delhi (PTI): Ahead of Tuesday's discussion in Rajya Sabha on the nuclear deal, the CPI(M) on Monday stepped up attack on the issue alleging that its "larger agenda" was to convert India into a "subordinate ally" of the US and New Delhi's "shift" in policy was visible in the Indo-Iranian relations.
"Day-to-day developments reconfirm our fears that the US wants to convert India into its subordinate ally in South Asia, even before the Indo-US nuclear deal has come into effect. This is a very ominous development," Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.
The CPI(M) leader said the 123 agreement, which was "firmly anchored in the Hyde Act", has fallen short "not just of our objections but of the assurances of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself."
Maintaining that American "pressure" was working not just on the government to "shift" its foreign policy but on Indian companies as well, Yechury said the deal was "lot more than only nuclear cooperation, it has a larger agenda ...to convert India as a subordinate ally of the US in South Asia".
In this context, he referred to India's non-participation in a scheduled meeting with Iran and Pakistan on the gas pipeline and said "not going for the project or delaying it is not in India's interest. It is clearly succumbing to US pressures".
Yechury said the State Bank of India had "suddenly prohibited" extending their line of credit to Iranian firms and stopping Indian exports to that country.
He expressed hope that government would answer in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday these "serious" questions which came in the aftermath of India voting against Iran at the IAEA on the nuclear issue.
"India has to comply with any sanction imposed by the United Nations. But there is no legal requirement for it to comply with unilateral US sanctions," Yechury said.
He also referred to the plans of the Essar Group to have a joint venture oil refinery in Iran which was shelved after its partner firm in the US was "arm-twisted" into asking the parent company to pull off the Iran deal.
On the gas pipeline project, the CPI(M) said like the nuclear deal, the gas from Iran was "very important for managing India's energy security.
Asked when the next meeting of the UPA-Left Committee on the nuclear deal would be held, he said "let us see when they (Indian experts team) return from the IAEA ... whether the assurances given to Parliament are honoured or not, we will know only when they come back".
The Indian team is currently carrying out negotiations on the India-specific safeguards agreement at the IAEA.
He said the government would not even initialise the safeguards agreement at the IAEA as it could then be taken forward to the 40-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group and then to the US Congress for ratification and operationalisation of the 123 agreement.
