Left hums govt tune on Indo-US nuclear pact

NEW DELHI: Despite its anti-US rhetoric, a mellowed-down Left on Sunday indicated that it may toe the government line when the nuclear deal comes up for discussion in Parliament.

“The nine assurances that the prime minister gave in Parliament have been met. But we are studying the fine print of the deal and will give a considered opinion on Tuesday,” CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury said. However, Left sources said there were reservations in some quarters over the restriction on trade and transfer of dual-use products and technology and implications of the package. The Left leaders, who will discuss the issue on Tuesday, are also expected to have another meeting with the government on the total package before the monsoon session of Parliament.

The Left’s backing is critical for the government as it will considerably raise its comfort level while dealing with the opposition from the NDA. The BJP leadership, which reviewed the pact over the weekend, has demanded constitution of a JPC to study it thoroughly. It has been maintaining that the deal will cap India’s nuclear weaponisation programme.

The Left can be expected to make some noises on the impact of the agreement on foreign policy issues, particularly on Iran, a current American priority area. As the deal has not explicitly mentioned the issue, the government will find it easy to convince the Left. The experts, whom the Leftists have consulted on the subject, are not too enthused by the deal. But their viewpoint may not really come in the way of the Left’s formulation as it is against disturbing the current arrangement with the Centre over the nuclear issue.

The Left, however, could find it difficult to sell to the cadre its backing for the Indo-US deal. The cadre, brought up on the staple of anti-Americanism, is certain to find the Left leadership’s stand on the deal a bit puzzling. The CPM’s state units’ routine campaign themes have a heavy dose of anti-Americanism that includes solidarity conventions for “forces resisting US imperialism” such as Cuba and Venezuela.

The NDA can be expected to hit out at the Left in the event of the latter throwing its weight behind the pact. Already, there are charges that the Left was abandoning its long-held position for the sake of political expediency.