NEW DELHI, Nov 13: In a softening of their opposition to the India-US nuclear deal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Left Front allies have agreed to allow pending crucial talks between New Delhi and the IAEA, news reports said on Tuesday quoting communist sources.
The rightwing opposition Bharatiya Janata Party reacted to the reports by claiming the Left Front’s apparent change of heart was prompted by its difficulties in West Bengal. The communist-led Left Front has ruled the state since 1977 but it has been under relentless attack by a joint opposition, which in West Bengal also includes India’s ruling Congress, over plans to evict peasants to set up industrial zones on their land.
India’s ruling UPA coaliiton is required under the deal with the United States to go to the International Atomic Energy Agency for an India-specific safeguards agreement needed to put the agreement into operation.
Sources in the Left Front told Dawn, however, that permission to hold talks with the IAEA was subject to a review by the Left-UPA committee before a final go ahead is given to seal the deal.
The Left-UPA committee that has been constituted to go into the apprehensions voiced by the government’s outside supporters may now meet on November 18 when it may clear the government’s move to approach the international atomic watchdog but without committing anything in writing, news reports said.
The Left Front opposes the Hyde Act, a key component of the deal, which requires India to follow the American line on key foreign-policy issues, including Iran.
The thaw in the stance of the Left parties has come in the context of relentless government efforts to persuade the Left allies to take the next step in implementing the deal.
One report said the decision to allow talks with the IAEA was taken after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a luncheon meeting with communist leaders Prakash Karat and A. B. Bardhan last week had sought their nod for the government to approach the nuclear watchdog for a safeguards agreement. This agreement would enable India to take some steps as part of implementation of the civilian nuclear deal.
The Left leaders stressed that the government would not sign any agreement with the IAEA and would come back to the Left-UPA when any progress was made in such negotiations.
The BJP said its “apprehension that the Left objection and opposition to the nuclear deal was not based on principle but on convenience has ultimately come true” in the wake of the CPI-M’s “compromise” with the government.
“The moment they got into political difficulties because of Nandigram they came forward to compromise with the government on the deal and offered concessions,” senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said. He was referring to the village which has been the scene of a violent standoff between communist cadres and opposition groups.
