Left not OK even with India-specific IAEA accord

Mukherjee, who heads the UPA-Left Committee on the nuclear deal, is understood to have urged the Left parties to allow the Government seal the India-specific safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, a plea that was rejected by the Left leader.

The safeguards agreement with the IAEA is a step towards implementing the deal.

“I cannot say anything now”, Mukherjee said in Dehradun when asked by reporters to comment on what transpired at his meeting with Karat last night.

In Delhi, Karat had an hour-long meeting with his CPI counterpart A B Bardhan today, though the latter maintained that the nuclear issue did not come up for discussion.

“You know what our stand is. There is no change as far

as that is concerned. We will take that stand on Wednesday also,”

Bardhan said after the meeting.

Asked whether Mukherjee made any proposal at his meeting with Karat, the CPI leader said “there are so many proposals.

We are not in favour of operationalising the deal.”