The Left on Monday had salt rubbed in with prime minister Manmohan Singh saying in Japan on Monday that India would soon go to the IAEA (to sign the safeguards agreement).
Terms PM’s announcement on IAEA breach of trust
NEW DELHI: If being rendered virtually inconsequential on the political scene following the Samajwadi’s Party’s assurance of support to the Congress weren’t enough, the Left on Monday had salt rubbed in with prime minister Manmohan Singh saying in Japan on Monday that India would soon go to the IAEA (to sign the safeguards agreement). The communists saw red and declared they were meeting on Tuesday to consider withdrawing support even before the PM returns.
Amidst the clamour to withdraw support on Tuesday, the Left leaders sought an appointment with president Pratibha Patil to submit their letter of withdrawal of support, but Patil is out of town and hence an appointment has not yet been granted. “The prime minister, irrespective of the conclusion of the UPA-Left nuclear committee meeting and before the committee submitted its findings, unilaterally announced government’s decision to approach IAEA. It is a breach of promise,” said politburo member S Ramachandra Pillai.
CPI leader D Raja said: “It means the Left has no option but to withdraw support.” Refusing to confirm time of the pullout, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said: “We will meet tomorrow to decide the future course.”
The Front was initially willing to wait till the PM returns as pulling the plug when the head of government is abroad is considered discourteous.
Left sources said Singh could have waited two days to make the announcement. They had, on July 4, written to UPA-Left nuclear committee convenor and external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee asking to clearly state by July 7 if the government was going to IAEA. Two hours before the PM’s statement, Mukherjee’s letter in a sealed envelope reached the four Left leaders separately. But it was mum on the government’s plans of going to Vienna. It merely said the Left-UPA committee (set up to scrutinise the nuke deal) will meet on July 10 and the government is ready with the draft report of the ninth meeting of the panel.
Raja told DNA: “The PM has put Mukherjee and the democratic process in a ridiculous situation. What is the meaning of a meeting now?”
k_benedict@dnaindia.net
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