Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi, Nov 16: The UPA-Left panel is going to meet on Friday to discuss the controversial Indo-US nuclear deal. The meet comes days after the Left gave the green signal to the government to proceed with negotiations with the IAEA but to refused to accede to government stand on operationalisation of the 123 Pact.
The meeting also succeeds External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement on Wednesday stating that efforts were on with the Left parties to build a consensus on the issue.
It was decided recently that there shall be a debate in Parliament short of a vote on the deal in Parliament on November 27-29.
Earlier the UPA government was accused by some quarters for backtracking on the issue when on the one hand during a Haryana rally, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that those anti-deal were opposed to the country’s growth, obliquely referring to the Left which has all along been strictly against the operationalisation of the Agreement. While on the other hand, later during the leadership summit organised by a leading daily, the Prime Minister said that that the nuke deal was important but disappointments in life had to be lived with, implying that the deal won’t come through at the coast of power.
There have been about five rounds of meetings between the UPA and the Left over the issue and today’s meet is the sixth one. It is being hoped that something concrete will emerge out of it. The Left has been against the nuclear deal also on account of the US’ Hyde Act which is a domestic law passed by the US government. They say that the Act comes in the way of India’s national interest. But supporters of the deal argue that the 123 Pact overrides the Hyde Act and it has been time and again reiterated by the US that in case of a clash the 123 Agreement will supersede the Hyde Act.
It is important that the IAEA negotiations take place at the earliest, as when the US Congress starts preparing for the Presidential polls, it will get increasingly difficult to pass the deal. Therefore any further delay in the operationalisation of the Agreement would in a way tantamount to its scuttling.
The negotiations with the IAEA is just a step towards it as the 45-member NSG too needs to be consulted after that. The significance of the deal also lies in the fact that nuclear trade with Russia which is a key NSG member depends on the execution of the Indo-US nuke deal. This was clear from the recent Moscow visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Left may ask govt to respond to nuke deal questions
The Left parties may ask the government to respond to its questions on some major issues concerning the Indo-US nuclear deal at a crucial UPA-Left meeting here on Friday before giving clearance to government to approach the IAEA for negotiating a safeguards agreement.
Besides, the Left leaders also want to know whether India would be able to get dual-use technology.
