Left slams PM pipeline remark

The meeting, called at CPI headquarters Ajay Bhavan to discuss various aspects of Singh’s US visit, was attended by senior Left leaders, including Harkishen Singh Surjeet, Sitaram Yechury, A B Bardhan and D Raja. “The Prime Minister should immediately clarify whether the commitment to the pipeline project has been diluted as a result of his visit to the US,” Karat said.

The US is opposed to the India-Iran-Pakistan pipeline project. When the Left had brought up the US’ reservations for discussion earlier, the Prime Minister had said its misgivings were largely unfounded.

But in his interview, Singh said the project faced “difficulties” such as the reluctance of international consortiums to underwrite the project.

Karat said the Left considers the pipeline project an “acid test” of the UPA Government’s “commitment to an independent policy serving national interests”.

The CPI(M) and CPI yesterday criticised the PM over the joint statement which they felt has opened India’s civilian nuclear facilities for inspection without getting much in return.

The Congress has rejected the Left criticism of the nuclear pact, saying India had gained considerably “without conceding anything” and was now being seen as a nuclear state.

“We believe that India has gained. It has its voice heard among the comity of nations. The segregation it had a few years ago has ended. We believe that without conceding anything we have gained recognition as a nuclear state,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.

At its meeting today, the Left discussed floor coordination with the Government ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament that begins on Monday. It discussed areas the UPA has been ignoring and decided it would pressure the Centre to introduce the Women’s Reservation Bill providing one-third reservation for women in its original form. The Left said this would be in keeping with the “commitment made in the Common Minimum Programme” and warned that “further delay in the matter will be unwarranted”.

The Left also discussed the Manipur situation. They urged the Centre to intervene immediately and restore road links so that normalcy returns to the state. —with PTI