CPM criticises N-deal, completes formality

Proving all the Cassandras wrong, the CPI(M) today came out in muted support of the Indo-US civilian nuclear energy agreement and merely cautioned the government that it must "calibrate its steps in response to the measures taken by Washington".

Advising against undertaking unilateral measures that might compromise national interest, the CPI(M) and asked the government to keep the nuclear supplies group (NSG) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the loop.

The CPI(M), however, raised the question whether research activities aimed at overcoming reliance on nuclear fuel import might be hampered because of the agreement.

The pact makes it obligatory for India to separate its civilian and military nuclear facilities and calls on New Delhi to allow the IAEA to inspect its civilian facilities.

In adopting this position, the CPI(M) has sought to distance itself from the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) argument that the Indo-US joint statement signed by Prime Minster Manmohan Singh compromises India's security interests.

Though the text of a statement released by the CPI(M) today pointed out that an important issue had been decided without consulting "all the parties concerned", it did not demand that the Prime Minister retract the assurances made in the joint statement, or even threaten to launch agitation or hold protest demonstrations in opposition to the agreement.

However, the CPI has taken a much shriller line on the issue, calling it "unilateral reversal of India's earlier nuclear policy".

Interestingly, the CPI, along with other Left allies, has promised to "register its principled opposition to this statement and related agreements in Parliament and other fora".

The CPI(M)'s thinking on the issue can be traced back to a pamphlet written by party General Secretary Prakash Karat just before the visit India in the 2000 by Bill Clinton, who was teh US President then.

Karat had supported the "dual-use" nuclear technology or nuclear technologies that had "very large civilian applications". Talking of the US "dual-use technology embargo", Karat said "(It) is particularly burdensome for India.

"It reduces access to various technologies required for the domestic industry. It also imposes additional costs on the Indian industry."

"The US administration should immediately withdraw all sanctions against India; restrictions on dual-purpose technology being exported to India should be lifted forthwith," he demanded.

According to Left sources, what has changed in the CPI(M) position between 2000 and now is that the party is "more strident" in its opposition to nuclear proliferation today.

"The CPI(M) was never opposed to building nuclear technology. As long as we had a bomb in our basement the party had no objections. There has been a shift in that position. Now the CPI(M) is opposed to being overtly nuclear," said a source.

The statements released by the two parties also questioned the US-India global democracy initiative for strengthening democracies in third countries.