Comparing India?s and China’s 123 deals with the US, the UPA government on Monday sought to allay the fears of the Left parties saying that the pact in no way harm the sovereignty of the country.
Responding to the Left parties’ contentions on the impact of the Hyde Act on the civilian nuclear deal, the government said it has protected India’s interests ??admirably??, during the negotiations for the final civilian nuclear agreement with the United States.
However, the Left?s reaction on the government?s reply was cold. The Left circles said, ??there was nothing new?? in the note. They said they will go through the note threadbare and give a reply in the next meeting to be held on Wednesday.
??We have received the government?s response. We are studying it. We will give our reply to it at the Committee meeting on September 19,?? CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury told PTI from Mumbai. Talking to reporters in here on Monday CPI general-secretary AB Bardhan also said that the Left parties will together submit a reply to the government on Wednesday. The CPI general-secretary said the Left parties will meet before submitting the reply.
In its five-page reply, the government said India?s nuclear deal is far better than that of China. The government said the in China?s deal, the country was not given rights of reprocessing. It also said that the right for reprocessing the spent fuel will ??enhance the India’s capacity to generate power.??
In the meantime, differing with the party?s stated position on the issue, CPI(M) politburo member and West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee stressed on the need of nuclear energy to meet the energy needs of the country. Speaking at a function organised by the CII in Kolkata he said nuclear energy ?cannot be overlooked? adding that a decision on the nuclear deal should be taken in tune with the recommendations of the scientists.
The CPI(M) and the Left parties were maintaining that he nuclear energy is ?not cost effective? and the country should look for other options if it really wants to serve the aam aadmi. The CPI(M)?s view is that three thermal power stations can be built with the money to build one nuclear power reactor.
Moreover, accusing the Left parties in Thiruvananthapuram, Union minister for science and technology Kapil Sibal said that they were violating the coalition dharma by criticising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the deal.
??No less a leader than CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat is leading the attack from the Left who were shying away from substantive discussions on the issue,?? he told reporters
He had found a new definition of patriotism by which even BJP could be a patriotic force if it opposed the deal.
