Yechury questions terms of US-India nuclear deal

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury has said his party is not against acquiring nuclear energy from outside, but against the terms on which India has signed the US-India nuclear treaty.

Patna, Sept. 25 : Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury has said his party is not against acquiring nuclear energy from outside, but against the terms on which India has signed the US-India nuclear treaty.

"We are not against nuclear energy. We are also not against electricity produced from nuclear energy. Our only concern is on what terms India is signing the agreement. Is electricity produced from nuclear energy beneficial for India? We do not think so," he said.

The deal aims to give India access to American nuclear fuel and equipment to help meet its soaring energy needs even though it has tested nuclear weapons and is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Left parties have been in tussle with the government on the July 18, 2005 landmark treaty.The Left has claimed that the deal would hurt India's sovereignty and expose the country's foreign policy to Washington's influence. They have threatened to end their outside support to the government if it seeks to operationalise the deal.

Government negotiators say that the deal cannot be suspended as it still requires final approval by the U.S. Congress, the IAEA and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

The Left says the deal undermines India's traditionally independent foreign policy as well as its atomic programme.

ANI