CPI(M) warns Govt of withdrawal of support

From HNN Delhi Bureau

The CPI(M) today warned the UPA government of withdrawal of support if it went ahead with operationalising the Indo-US nuclear deal as its Central Committee authorised the top leadership to take "appropriate decision at an appropriate time" to block the agreement.
At the end of the two-day meeting, senior party leaders said on grounds of anonymity that a strong message was being sent to the Congress-led coalition that the 123 agreement should not be operationalised without addressing the major concerns expressed by the Left parties.

"We will withdraw support to the government if it goes ahead with operationalising the agreement. The Central Committee has endorsed the stand of the Politburo in this regard and authorised it to take an appropriate decision at an appropriate time," the leaders said, emerging out of the two-day meeting which started here yesterday.

The Left parties, which would now closely follow Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar's visit to Vienna to attend the IAEA's General Assembly, have made it clear that they have no objection on him attending the meet as a member of the IAEA Board.

Their ground for objection is that during this meeting, Kakodkar should not begin formal negotiations on a safeguards agreement with the United Nations' watchdog body on the basis of the 123 agreement.

"All we are asking from the government is to press the pause button. It should properly evaluate all the implications before proceeding further," CPI(M) polit bureau member Sitaram Yechury said. His comments came amid signals that the government was not prepared to heed its ultimatum on the contentious issue.

The party General Secretary, Prakash Karat, who had earlier warned the government of serious consequences if it went ahead with the deal, submitted a report of the Politburo on the contentious deal before the Central Committee. He is also understood to have apprised the Central Committee of his meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to iron out differences on the issue.

The major Left party is maintaining that negotiations with IAEA on the safeguards agreement would bind India in perpetuity. If Kakodkar discusses the Indo-US nuclear deal with IAEA, the Left parties will decide on future of the relationship, the sources said.

The CPI(M) Central Committee is likely to meet again in mid-September. The National Executive of the CPI will also meet on August 28-29 to take stock of the situation.