Opinion View from the LEFT

The assertion came in an editorial in the latest edition of CPI mouthpiece New Age. Although both India and Pakistan are making noises to satisfy their home constituencies after the foreign secretary-level talks,it says: “India has to join the US plan on Afghanistan. It has also to allow Pakistan to do what the Americans want on Pak-Afghan borders. This is the reality. Under US pressure,UPA-II may accept the direct US interference in Indo-Pak dispute or will avail the services of Saudi Arabia.”

For the CPI,the government’s decision to “rush through” the Nuclear Liability Bill and the PMO’s plan to get the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill — which it says clearly favours American multinational corporations promoting GM crops and foods — tabled in Parliament indicates that Washington has started dictating terms on other issues as well as foreign policy.

Disowning liability

An article in the CPM’s weekly People’s Democracy also focussed on the Nuclear Liability Bill,dubbing it “one more chapter” in the sorry saga of the Indo-US Nuclear Deal,and claiming that the key part of the proposed bill is to absolve all American equipment suppliers of any liability.

“Without this,the US equipment suppliers will not supply any equipment and the US government has held up all action on the Indo-US Nuclear Deal. Though the French and Russian equipment suppliers have not asked for any such liability legislation,the Manmohan Singh government has buckled under US pressure and is now willing to provide the US suppliers with this comfort,” it says.

The article argues that the bill caters to the wishes of the US nuclear industry,which it says “wants the billions of dollars in profits from Indian sales,but does not want any risks”. It points out that limiting the liability to about $450 million,restricting the liability of operators to only Rs 500 crore and making no legal liability for the supplier contradicts the law of the land.

It recalls that the Supreme Court — in its judgment on the Oleum leak case from Sri Ram Food and Fertilisers in 1987 — had made clear that the industry operating hazardous plants had absolute liability including that for environmental damage. “The current bill seeks to reverse this,” it says.

Parties at odds

In sharp contrast to the CPI’s assertion that the US had pressurised India to resume talks with Pakistan and New Delhi may even accept direct American interference,the CPM seems to be supportive of the government’s efforts and is not raising its pet American intervention bogey this time around.

The editorial in People’s Democracy on Indo-Pak foreign secretary-level talks says it is now clear that New Delhi has correctly decided to press its case across the dialogue table for firm action on terrorism and quotes extensively from External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna’s statement in Parliament on the talks.

Besides,it says: “India has correctly reiterated that the composite dialogue process can only be restored when such measures are undertaken by Pakistan and an improved atmosphere of trust and confidence is created between both the countries. These talks have resumed despite the concerted efforts made by various quarters that provide mileage for terrorism. The lack of a dialogue between the two sides interpreted as India’s reluctance to engage with Pakistan has often been used to detract and dilute Pakistan’s efforts on its western borders against the activities of the Taliban.”