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Left pulls out, will meet President Patil on Wednesday

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Agencies

Posted online: Tuesday , July 08, 2008 at 02:26:13


New Delhi, July 8: Implementing their threat to pull the rug over the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Left parties on Tuesday announced they would meet the President tomorrow to withdraw support to the UPA government.

They said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statements on moving the IAEA soon had rendered any further talks on the issue meaningless.

The four parties - CPI (M), CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP - have sought an appointment with President Pratibha Patil for tomorrow morning to submit their letter of withdrawal of support and to demand that the government proves its majority on the floor of the House.

"We will also urge the President to ask the government to prove its majority on the floor of the House," a top Left leader said after the hour-long meeting of the four parties which decided to pull the rug to end their four-and-a-half year relationship with the UPA.

Responding to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's suggestion for another meeting of the UPA-Left Committee on the issue, the General Secretaries of the parties said the meeting, proposed on July 10, had been rendered "meaningless" since the Prime Minister had announced that the government would go to the IAEA Board of Governors very soon.

"As you are aware, the Left parties had decided that if the government goes to the IAEA Board of Governors, they will withdraw support. In view of the Prime Minister's announcement, that time has come," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told reporters.

In their letter to Mukherjee, the top leaders of the four parties pointed out that the UPA-Left panel had decided that the government would proceed to the IAEA only after it finalised its findings.

"Till now, the 'outcome of the talks', that is the text of the safeguards agreements negotiated with the IAEA Secretariat, has not been made available to the Committee.

Without the text, the Committee cannot come to any finding."

The leaders also accused the ruling Congress-led coalition of "refusing" to provide the text to the members of the Committee and said the proposed meeting on July ten would not serve any purpose in this context.

Karat said "once the text of the safeguards agreement is approved by the IAEA Board, which is what the UPA government seeks to do now, the subsequent steps require no participation at all by the Government of India.

"It is the US government that takes the next steps -- moving the Nuclear Suppliers Group countries for the waiver and then placing the 123 Agreement before the US Congress."

Therefore, Karat said, it was "critical" for the country that the safeguards agreement was discussed with "full transparency and not kept secret".

"Why is the Manmohan Singh government keeping the draft of the IAEA agreement secret from the people of India," the Left leader asked.

In a joint statement, the four Left parties said they had been demanding the full text of the draft IAEA agreement saying it was necessary to see whether "any corrective action is possible on India's part if the US discontinues the fuel supplies".

On the 123 Agreement, which they said contained claims by the US that it would join India in negotiating with the IAEA an 'India-specific fuel supply agreement', the Left leaders said "it is well-known that the IAEA is not at all concerned with fuel supply but only with the imposition of safeguards on nuclear equipment and material."

Hence, they contended that it was important to know how the IAEA safeguards agreement would provide for fuel supply assurances in India's case.

The Left leaders pointed out that the US had suspended nuclear fuel supplies to the Tarapur Atomic power station in 1983 reneging upon a 30-year contract signed in 1963.

"In the present case, the IAEA safeguards would continue even in such a scenario, since they are applicable in perpetuity to the entire civilian nuclear energy sector. The text of the 123 Agreement has very ambiguous references to India taking 'corrective measures' if nuclear fuel supplies from abroad are discontinued."

Reiterating their key concerns regarding the IAEA Safeguards Agreement which have "not been addressed" by the UPA, the Left parties asked if the US or any other NSG country reneged on fuel supply assurances for imported reactors, will India have the ability to withdraw these reactors or the indigenous civilian ones from IAEA safeguards.

They wanted to know what corrective measures India could take if fuel supplies were interrupted by the US/NSG countries and asked what conditions would India have to fulfil if the corrective steps were to be put into operation.

Keeping these and other concerns in mind, they said it was critical for the country that the IAEA Safeguards Agreement was discussed with full transparency and not kept secret.

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N Deal by Prem Garg on 11 Jul 2008

BJP must support N Deal to get our votes. In the national interest, it must not let the Govt fall on this issue.CA Prem GargChandigarh

Idiots and traitors in Turbans! by Jolly on 10 Jul 2008

The unelected PM, the turbanwala has a secret agenda of selling India short to the Whites to appease his white BOSS Sonia and her son, PM in waiting, Rahul. In democracy, even the opposition needs to be taken into confidence on important issues like nuclear tests/deals, war etc. That the Turbanator does not share details of the Nuclear deal with his OWN Congress party men as well as the Allies (LEFT), is a clear proof that there is something he wants to hide. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to understand this. Even God cannot save India from these idiots and traitors!

Left pulls out, will meet President Patil on Wednesday by pkj on 10 Jul 2008

you are racist cockroch.to respond u in anyway is disgrace.may god give u wisdom.

Left ideology by R. Sarkar on 09 Jul 2008

Why are we hesitant to expose the true colours of Left, particularly CPM. The party CPM was born in 1962 for supprting China when China invaded India. Their only motive is to ensure that India does not become stronger than China. Not only in the current affair of the Nueclear deal they have been holding the government and the country at ransom for last 4 years. All moves for reforms have been stalled. They are trying all out to derail the deal including giving a communal angle to the subject.IT IS HIGH TIME MEDIA CALLS THE SPADE A SPADE.

Akalis are foolish by Amant on 09 Jul 2008

I am not aware if Badal has been paid by BJP or he is just plain foolish. BJP is a communal party and their hatred for non hindus is well known. Akalis are being used by BJP firstly to isolate muslims and Christians and next will be the Sikhs who will pay dearly. Perhaps Badal does not read the newspapers. If he did he would realize that many a times BJP and their cronies have abused the PM because he is a Sikh and many times they have abused Sonia for being a Christian. Not long ago BJP was complaining for India having a Sikh PM, Christian party leader. They called PM a shikandi. How Badal can support such a party? Badal is doing a great dis-service to Sikhs and should pack his bag and join RSS. If he has any decency he should vote with UPA to save the government for the simple reason that Sikhs always did their best for their motherland "INDIA".

us congressv/s indian parliament...... by babubhai patel on 09 Jul 2008

what AMAZES ME MOST,,,,IS THAT,US CONGRESS IS GOING TO DISCUSS AND VOTE ONTHE N.DEAL,OPENLY....OK THEN, HOW COME, THE PARTY TO THE DEAL,INDIA, GOVT,I.E UPA IS HAGGLING THE ISSUE, BUT NOT BEING OPEN AND DISCUSSING IT FOR OVER SIXTEEN MONTHS ??????? WHAT IS IN IT ???? WHY SECRET,IF IT IS AN OPEN DEAL ??? ARE THER SOME HIDDEN CLAUSES OF FIXED PRICE AND FROM CERTAIN COMPANY AND SO ON ?????....NOW I LIVE IN THE USA AND LOVE THE PEOPLE AND THE NATION,,,BUT WE HAD OUR ENRONS AND FINANCIAL ENRONS...INDIA HAS SEEN "BOFORS",AND HELICOPTER DEALS AND NAVY CANNON DEALS AND THE INFAMOUS CATTLE GRASS DEALS,AND......IS NT IT TIME THAT GOVT. BECOME A LITTLE MORE TRANSPARENT ???? AND SLIGHLY JUST A LITTLE BIT HONEST TO THAT ALMIGHTY "AAM AADMI" WHO IS REMEMBERED ONLY WHEN IT IS VOTING TIME AND WHO IS ALMOST DYING OF STARVATION??? >>>INFLATION... WAIT FOR 13% BY AUGUST AND GROWING !!!RUPPEES TO DOLLAR FROM38 TO 43 AND 47 BY ELECTIONS TIME!!!!( NOW IT IS PROFITABLE TO ME,BUT IT BOTHERS...

Thugs are ruling India by col a k tiwari, vsm on 09 Jul 2008

There is opinion galore. Some are sponsored letters.I request to all the letter writers to vote in next election to the right candidate.Talking or writing but NOT voting IS the cause of all ills and the rise of thugs to power.Please vote during elections.Mere talking big things wont help

Let us Reform the System by N.Vasisht on 09 Jul 2008

Dear Col Tiwari, please see my post below.Let us urgently make electoral reforms and make voting compulsory for all and punish those who do not vote. Let us limit voting right to those qualified people who know how to distinguish good and bad and let us have a US style presidential election to elect the president or prime minister.May be this is asking for too much because there are far too many people and political parties who are benfiting from this dirty type of democracy farce in the country and the intellectuals and media unfortunately do not seem to care for the mess and dirt all around! What a shame!

Electoral Reforms by Dr V K Sinha on 10 Jul 2008

Yes, we urgently need electoral reforms.But who will ask for it? these politicians have a vested interest in continuation of the present system.I agree, we should have an US style presidential election. Parliamentary democracy of the brand we have is not suited to our genius.Look what has been happening.We have a Prime Minister who is not even a member of the lower house,he was not elected by the members of the parliament(albeit factually) but nominated by the president of his party!We have a Home Minister who was defeated in the elections but was brought back indirectly through the upper house to be the Home Minister not because he happens to be the most competent but simply because he happens to be a confidante of the party president.There are many other irregularities, many flaws that need to be corrected. But the question is how can the reforms be brought about?

Leftist are treasonists by Binu Patel on 09 Jul 2008

Left are traitors, chinese spies

Congress are White's slaves by Joly on 10 Jul 2008

Congress and their White leaders want India to be again enslaved by the Whites. The turbanwala is all set out to sell his own mother land to whites! Slave mentality of Indians will never end, it seems!

Nuclear deal is good but ... by Baatul on 09 Jul 2008

The nuclear deal may be good framework. But, individual contracts of nuclear plants should ensure the following: (a) Supply of power at current rates (b) Stiff penalty for production stoppages, especially political. As companies like GE would be getting the contract, keeping them committed on these terms is important as their sole interest would be to make MAXIMUM money with MINIMUM risks. Furthermore, US govt. may use this to open up Financial sectors. India must bargain this against USA opening up its markets both on labour and services front.

Left by Jal S Tavaria on 09 Jul 2008

GOOD RIDDANCE!!!! End of Nuisance to the NATION !!!

it is **"""KATKI TIME """**** by BABUBHAI PATEL on 09 Jul 2008

UNDER THE PRETEXT OF GOOD N.DEAL,,,THIS IS THE IDEAL TIME GAP FOR SONIAJI, TO ACCOMMODATE AS MANY KINKY DEALS AS POSSIBLE.....CPM/CPI ARE OUT,,,,SP IS NOT IN YET,,,, BJP IS IN "COMA"/CHINTAN,,,,,AND THESE FEW DAYS ARE BEFORE THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING THROWN OUT....LET US DO SOME BOFORS TYPE KATKI DEALS,AFTER THAT EVEN IF UPA IS DEAD,THE CREAM WOULD BE THERE TO JUST,SLURP AWAY !!!!!BESIDES PRATIBHA,LIKE ALL THE GOAT RAJPALS,,, WILL DO A GOOD JOB OF RIGGING ELECTIONS ANY WAY,,,,THAT'S WHY SHE IS ORDERED TO TAKE PRESIDENTIAL SEAT IS N'T IT ???? LET US WATCH THE FARCE AS IT DEVELOPS,ON AAM AADMI'S STARVING OR DEAD BODY....roll call for all"""katki members to gather around....""""

Left's Chinaman by Pranoy Roy on 09 Jul 2008

The communists all over the world have changed with times but not our die-hard oldies. This will be the beginning of the end for many of them who are past 80 years. Their clout is gone, except in West Bengal and Kerala nobody really cares for the communists and their ideology. Their call for a national bundh will be a holiday in West Bengal and Kerala only.

N-deal by Yogesh Datta on 09 Jul 2008

Though I am in favour of n-deal but it is shrouded in secret clauses. Why, we Indians, are not allowed to check out the whole deal ? After all we, the common citizens, will be affected. There is something seriously wrong about this total secrecy, it will be too late when the reality will start biting. Open up the deal, let people see what is in store for us. Governments are to serve citizens not dynasties or their business friends in Italy or foreigners sitting in USA or Beijing. Please people try to find out what those secret clauses are, not only you but your generations to come will be affected. Soon someone will delete this posting.

Just a thought by YD on 09 Jul 2008

It just occur to me that since whole deal is shrouded in secrecy and no one knows what these secret clauses are. Is it possible that according to some clause once signed "India can not exit without paying huge penalties including international sanction" but we know that if India tests a nuclear divice, USA can renege and in that case India must returm all the technology and equipment. It is requested that Indian Express investigate this deal thoroughly for the sake of India.

LEFT pulls out by Varind on 09 Jul 2008

Left pulls out on N-Deal issue while being mute spectator to Soaring prices, record inflation and lawlessness for long Four years. Left is totally responsible for the current plight of poor and middle class with their long unwarranted, useless and shameless support to UPA. Besides, Left has also been left in the lurch by their own cunning Fox friend Amar Singh who is more dangerous than the Nuclear Bomb.

nuclear deal by hiranya on 09 Jul 2008

In India, Left is Right

Let Us Reform the Election by N.Vasisht on 08 Jul 2008

Let the political tamasha and the farce begin!It is time to reform the electoral and voting system urgently to make our democracy a true democracy and not just a farce. Unfortunately this political drama has been going on for the past 6 decades and it is a mystery why intellectuals and media have not made enough noise to reform the rotten election and voting system.Firstly let us limit voting right to only those who have an intermediate degree or above qualification and let us make voting compulsory for all and make non-voting, in absence of adequate reason, a punishable offence.Let us elect our prime minister by direct voting and let him be given the authority to nominate ministers based on merit and qualification. Further only those parties which have more than 10 percent of votes in elections need be given to nominate prime minister candidates in general election and in state election for electing chief minister.Will political parties agree for reforms at all is another matter!

Your asking for little too much by Venkat on 09 Jul 2008

India is still an immature democracy. Not so much by time, but due the mentality of its population. The problem isn't just education, but the type of education. I have seen educated people elect crooks to their committee/society top positions. In west success is respected, in India success is envied. We will have to evolve to be better people. Our govt is just a reflection of our people. Leaving aside politics, corruption is rampant in jobs - where mostly educated work. Look at our highly educated public workers - IAS officers and tell me how many are honest. India is a complex society and woes aren't going away easily. but I support your idea of electing PM or President directly. That will lessen some of the mess with this Party Politics. We also should also have an Federal Court system and an independent FBI kind of organization whose head should be publicly elected - to force to keep our govt honest.

Reforms by Vijay on 09 Jul 2008

N.Vasisht and Venkat you both are right, I fully agree with you. First of all our constitution must be re-written to exclude criminal, tainted and anti-social elements from getting elected in parliament, assemblies or committee etc. Second reform is education, unless children are educated with modern system their minds will not develop, third is to change the character of people. Now this is almost impossible. That means irradication of caste system, dowry, baby girl killing etc.

Embarrassing Moment by YY Reddy on 08 Jul 2008

Very insensitive timing for withdrawal, specially when our leader is representing our nation at G8 in Japan. Can cause quite an embarrassing situation for Dr. Manmohan Singh. Thanks,

Hyde by mozanza on 08 Jul 2008

civil and military - two different things.......you cannot use uranium imported under civil programmes to test weapons.........where is your phoqueing problem.......chit bhi meri pat bhi meri sikka mere baap ka.......it was in SHOLAY.......not in a deal with US GROW UP

future of Aam adami by Ashok Singh on 08 Jul 2008

Bush may have an MBA degree from Yale University, but he destroyed the career of British PM Tony Blair and now he is after the career of Manmohan singh and sonia gandhi. Only benefit Aam Adami will get is that inflation will touch 15% in August due to uncertainty of Govt.

future of aam admi by harsha on 08 Jul 2008

this is fantastic ignorence. bush has nothing to do with other's career. 1. tony blai was sincumbent after 10 yrs of power. 2. career of manmohan singh and soniya ji is already in jeoperady due to rising food and oi prices, and failed national rural employment scheme, and a lot money wasted on slogan programmes that did not really gave any benefit to amm admi. 3.anyway elections r due in next feb, and inflation is high on rising oil and food prices even when govt was stable, and its a global phenomenon.

inflation by Wow on 09 Jul 2008

Inflation in US is 5%, Australia 4% and EU 1.9%. Which glob you are talking about.

GLOBAL PHENOMENON- yah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by A Nair on 08 Jul 2008

HARSH, When did India import food to for "global blah..blah to influence food price. 12% in 1995 when PM was FM and new record will be set in 2008,

n- dral by krish on 08 Jul 2008

the left has withdrawn support, nothing that we did not expect.reminds me of an article by shekher gupta of ie. mulayam singh supported sukhoi project because it was in national interest.mr.Vajpayee supported pokharan II because narimha rao asked vajpayee to do it. all in national interest. i am glad that mulayam is doing it in national interest( forget the inside dealing)i urge the shiv sena and the akali's to support this deal in national interest.its not just uranium shortage its about restricted technology.i urge shiv sena and akali's to vote for the deal. forget the political ideology.think of india.both shiv sena and the akali's are more nationalist than bjp and the congress. please save the deal.it will help us in power and ward of chinese threat

Make the things clear to everyone by Shaghil Bilali on 08 Jul 2008

Left's withdrwal from the UPA government was an obvious decision. But the questions that they have asked from congress at the time of pull out are really in the interest of nation. So, before taking any step towards the IAEA agreement or the nuclear deal, congress should give the answers not only to the left parties but also to the citizens of India. All the policies should be kept transparent before the Indians.

n deal by krish on 08 Jul 2008

who knows the deal better than dr. kalam and dr. kakodkar

WE THE AAM ADMI by A Nair on 08 Jul 2008

KRISH, The power generated by nuclear plant is known to be most expensive which is unaffordable to average Indian ie “AAM ADMI”. The NUCLEAR cartel is more closely knit than the OPEC and can squeeze India perpetually after India invests Billions of Dollars in Nuclear Reactors by refusing to supply fuel rendering all the power generation capacity useless. What will happen to the N- power plants if all the nuclear supplier group countries led by USA threaten cutting off N-FUEL SUPPLY unless KASHMIR which they perceive to be potential nuclear flash point is nutralised by granting it independence? What if the Islamic Terrorists demand such a deal to let go off USA which is already facing a “VIETNAM” like situation in AFGHANISTAN? It may seem farfetched but wasn’t the same method adopted by the EAST INDIA COMPANY while subjugating Indians? India has an abundance of water resource to generate HYDRO-ELECTRIC power with half the investment on N- POWER with additional benefit of controlling floods and improving irrigation. Then why the N-DEAL?

SUPPORT by NMZ on 08 Jul 2008

left front will not gain anything----IT IS ONLY EGO CLASH .----IN NEXT LOK SABHA ELECTIONS LEFT WILL GET LESS THAN 50 SEATS.

N-deal by Dr V P Singh on 08 Jul 2008

Good riddance. Self-centred people do not consider anything except that what benefits them.

LEFT PULLS THE PLUG OUT by Aneek Chakrabarty on 08 Jul 2008

I do support the left argument for placing the IAEA agreement before the Parliament, even though, I did not support the withdrawl of their support from the central government. This is dealing with the whole nation and not just central cabinet. All the members of the Parliament have the legal right to know, every detail of all the deals, and the Prime Minister must not hide anything from the MPs. Not sharing the secret, whatever it is, the Manmohan Singh Government is clearly violating the basic principles of democracy. I also did not like the constant threat from the left to the Central Government. This is also very anti-national approach. The Left should understand that, they are not the boss, they should also behave in the spirit of democracy, what they did not do. I hope, they never ever come back as partners in Central Government. They already exposed their attitude and it is time, they give the country something new, not just holding Panchayat Elections. Can they do it??????

Left pull out by Sahadevan on 08 Jul 2008

The greatest loosers are the Left Parties in this political game. They lost all their clout at the center and if elections are held in the near future the left will lose seats in West Bengal and Kerala. The gainer at present seems to be BJP.

sign or Dont Sign N-deal by mydaksha.com on 08 Jul 2008

You may sign N-Deal but it will not fly to far, it will be dead on the steps of Tarapur.Rajesh Dharia

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