Left letter to MPs on nuclear deal

The CPI (M) told members of Parliament that it suspected that the agreement constituted a part of the "American design" to firm up a strategic alliance with India, reports Srinand Jha.

Broad basing its campaign on the nuclear question, the CPI (M) on Friday told members of Parliament that it suspected that the agreement constituted a part of the "American design" to firm up a strategic alliance with India. This kind of an alliance is likely to adversely impact the pursuit of an independent foreign policy by New Delhi, the party’s central committee has said in an open letter to MPs .

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Reiterating the demand that the government must not rush through with the next step of operationalising the deal, the letter says that such bilateral agreements and treaties must be ratified by Parliament – as is done in several countries.

"The objections and apprehensions raise by the Left parties, scientists and concerned citizens need to be examined before proceeding further with the treaty", it emphasises.

The four-paged letter puts forward an elaborate case about the manner in which the provisions of the Hyde Act run contrary to the assurances given by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in August 2006.

It points out, for instance, that the Hyde Act makes it clear that nuclear cooperation would not cover the entire nuclear fuel cycle and denies access or cooperation to fuel enrichment, reprocessing and heavy water production technologies.

The denial extends to dual use technology, the letter points out, while emphasising that these are in contravention to the assurances given to Parliament by the Prime Minister.

The Left leaders, meanwhile, have been assured by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the proposed legislation on unorganised sector workers would incorporate their suggestions.

We demanded a comprehensive legislation, which includes social security for workers and takes into account the condition of their services, CITU General Secretary and Rajya Sabha member Mohd Amin said at a press conference.

Our demand is that recommendations of the Arjun Sengupta committee should be implemented in toto, he added. A memorandum enlisting the demands was also submitted to the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister told the delegation that the bill on unorganised sector workers would be introduced in the ongoing session itself and be referred to the parliamentary standing committee.

The CPI (M), meanwhile, criticized the BJP for bringing Parliament to a "standstill" on the nuclear question and thus allowing an opportunity to the Congress to avoid discussions.

"The BJP must first set up a BJP Committee (BJPC) to resolve inner contradictions", CPI (M) leader Mohd Salim said – in an obvious dig at the BJP’s demand for the setting up of a JPC on the nuclear agreement. The party has to first find out where it stands, as its position on the issue has been changing each day, Salim said.