The Left parties on Tuesday rejected the Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation deal, saying that they are unable to accept the agreement, and demanded a review of the strategic aspect of Indo-US relations in Parliament.
New Delhi, Aug 7 : The Left parties on Tuesday rejected the Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation deal, saying that they are "unable to accept the agreement," and demanded a review of the strategic aspect of Indo-US relations in Parliament.
At a meeting here today, the four Left parties decided to ask the government not to precede with operationalising the agreement.
After the meeting, CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat said that they were "unable to accept the agreement" as it "binds us and locks India into the US global strategic designs".
The four-party alliance, comprising of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Communist Party of India (CPI), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), after a 90-minute meeting decided to press for a Constitutional amendment for bringing international treaties and certain bilateral agreements for approval in Parliament.
"There has to be review of the strategic aspect of Indo-US relations in Parliament," a statement issued by the four parties said.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has already rejected the 123 Agreement, and demanded setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to examine it, besides a parliamentary approval before the deal is signed.
The Third Front or the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) has also opposed the 123 pact and has convened a meeting here on Thursday to formulate its strategy.
India and the US on August 3 simultaneously released the text of 123 Agreement, which will allow India access to the American nuclear fuel and technology, including the international fuel market, for its growing energy needs.
ANI