N-power doesn’t mean n-deal: Karat

CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat on Saturday said he was not at loggerheads with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee...

CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat on Saturday said he was not at loggerheads with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on the nuclear power issue, making a distinction that “nuclear power does not mean nuclear deal with the US”.

Continuing his tirade against the deal, Karat said “we cannot trust this Government anymore” and the Left parties do not want to “go down in history” as being responsible for making India a “subordinate ally of the US for 40 years”. “Buddhadeb Bhattcharjee in Kolkata said we are for nuclear power. The media said we are at loggerheads. I am not against nuclear power. Nuclear power does not mean nuclear deal with the US. Our country has a three-stage indigenous nuclear programme, which is about our self-reliance in nuclear power. Our party discussed the issue of nuclear power, and there are some people (in the CPM) who do not even favour nuclear power,” Karat said.

At a CII meet in Kolkata, the West Bengal Chief Minister had said “we want nuclear power”. His statement was later endorsed by party patriarch Jyoti Basu.

Story continues below this ad

Speaking at Jawaharlal Nehru University, his alma mater, Karat trained his guns against the media as well. He said when there was a proposal of FDI in media, two national newspapers from Delhi came to “us for opposing this, saying that the move will affect the sovereignty of the country”. “We mobilised support against the move, and the parliamentary standing committee headed by Somnath Chatterjee gave a report against it. Then the BJP came to power, they allowed 26 per cent FDI in media. Now, these newspapers are vying for FDI from companies like Dow Jones.”

Karat said the Government must wait for the next Parliament session before operationalising the deal. “The country needs time. We are a democracy and the Government needs to convince the people. Why can’t they put the deal on hold? In fact, they (Government) committed many more things to the US.”

Citing the Indian vote against Iran at IAEA and the logistic framework agreement with the US, he said, “We do not trust the Government anymore.” Pointing that Russia, China and Sri Lanka abstained from the voting at IAEA, Karat repeated that “even if China approves the deal at NSG, we would still oppose it”.

Hinting at Union minister Kapil Sibal’s statements on the deal and against the Left parties, he said, “for the sake of the country, we have to bear many things.”

Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

Statehood protest takes violent turn in Ladakh, BJP office set ablaze in Leh

India58 min ago

Protests in Ladakh turned violent as students and youth organisations demanded statehood and Sixth Schedule status. Two elderly protesters fainted, prompting a shutdown call. A BJP office and security vehicle were set on fire. Activist Sonam Wangchuk urged for a peaceful approach. The demand for Sixth Schedule status is due to Ladakh's tribal-majority population and direct central administration.

View all shorts

Live Blog