The CPI(M) on Saturday indicated that it would not stretch its opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal beyond a point.
HYDERABAD: The CPI(M) on Saturday indicated that it would not stretch its opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal beyond a point, saying 'everything should not be linked to pulling down the government'.
Asked whether his party would consider withdrawing support to the UPA government on the nuclear deal issue, CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said, "why should everything be linked to pulling down the government. It will not serve any purpose."
He told here that the CPI (M) was only concerned about the national interests and its main demand was that the deal should not be operationalised.
To a question about a reported offer by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resign over differences on the issue, the CPI (M) leader said, "we are not talking about personalities here. Our concerns should not be seen as a threat to anybody. It relates to policy... the governments will come and go but the agreements will remain."
Yechury said the Left is going to oppose the nuclear deal "because of the reasons which we have given. Now, the Prime Minister and everybody else may think that those reasons are not valid, that is their opinion."
He said there was "difference of opinion" and "difference of perception" between Left and government on the deal.
There was no immediate comments from CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, who had warned the government that it will have to pay a "heavy political price" if it went ahead with the nuclear deal.
"We will oppose the deal in Parliament. The UPA is a minority in Parliament. If the government pursues the deal, we will also go to the people and it will have to pay a heavy political price," Karat, who is in Kerala, had said earlier.
Maintaining that the Left has always been "positive and constructive in its criticism" of the government, Raja said they opposed the deal as it was bound to impact the country's foreign, security and economic policies.
"Our views are based on our assessment of the international situation, Indo-US strategic relationship and in particular the nuclear deal. The Left is not in agreement with the government's position," he said, adding "that is why the Left has asked that the government should not operationalise the deal."
Referring to the Prime Minister's statement that the Left should learn to work with the government, RSP leader Abani Roy said "these are just threats" and "that does not mean that we have to surrender everywhere."
Forward Bloc leader G Devarajan said the Left had not promised the government of its support for the entire term of five years and "our support cannot be taken for granted."
"The Prime Minister's comments are unwarranted," he added.
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