New Delhi, September 2
Even as truce seems to have been worked out in the form of setting up of a committee on the nuclear deal, which is expected tomorrow, the Congress and the Left have not stopped from attacking one another.

In a fresh war of words that resumed today, Left parties gave a stern warning to the government to decide whether or not it wanted to “plunge into crisis” by operationalising the agreement.

The blunt message came from CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury, a day ahead of the expected announcement of the committee to go into their concerns.

“Now it is for the government to decide whether to plunge into crisis or not, as we have asked them not to effect the agreement till the committee completes its work,” he said.

Yechury, who is in Kolkata, however, exuded confidence that discussions on the India-specific safeguards protocol to be signed with the IAEA in context of the 123 accord “would not be discussed in the September meeting of the IAEA”.

This comes close on the heels of Sonia Gandhi’s statement in party mouthpiece “Sandesh”, wherein she had said: “Throughout negotiations with the US, Parliament, our UPA allies, the Left parties and the opposition parties have been kept informed.”

The statement had also dismissed Left’s contention that by striking the nuclear deal, Manmohan Singh had mortgaged “national sovereignty”.

Reacting to Sonia Gandhi’s statement that the deal was in India’s “long-term interest”, CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said: “We do not accept this statement. To give such a certificate to the nuclear deal is not reasonable.”

He told reporters here that Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, who said India could not afford to miss the “bus of nuclear renaissance”, should not make such statements.

Dasgupta disagreed with this, saying that “the Left parties were not informed about the any discussion” on the 123 agreement.

CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan had yesterday taken exception to the Prime Minister’s statement saying: “Some people are having a misconception that all gates of heaven will be opened by signing the nuclear treaty.”

Amid this, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee is likely to be made the convener of the UPA-Left committee on nuclear deal, which will consist of 14 members, including those of the Congress, UPA allies and the Communists.

As there is a sharp divide amongst political parties over the 123 agreement, the composition of the committee is most crucial, as members will come with preconceived notions.

Sources indicate that the committee, likely to be announced tomorrow, may have six members from the Left, five from the Congress, and three from UPA allies.

They say apart from Mukherjee, others who can be part of the committee include defence minister A.K. Antony, political secretary to Congress president Ahmad Patel, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat, CPI national secretary D. Raja, Sitaram Yechury and A.B. Bardhan.

It will also include representative from the DMK, the NCP and the RJD, as they are key parties in the Congress-led coalition government.

The committee will look into certain aspects of the bilateral agreement; the implications of the Hyde Act on the 123 agreement and self-reliance in the nuclear sector; the implications of the nuclear agreement on foreign policy and security cooperation.

There is no time limit given for the committee to submit its findings. And by saying that operationalising the nuclear deal will take into consideration the committee’s findings, and being silent on whether they will be accepted, the government has clearly indicated that this is only a time-buying mechanism.

However, this committee is seen as a face saver for both the UPA and the Communists, especially in the wake of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh posing a challenge to the Left parties to “withdraw support” and the Communists threatening of “serious consequences”.

Left parties, meanwhile, will hit the streets from Tuesday to launch a nationwide campaign against India’s participation in the joint naval exercises involving the US from September 4 to 6 in the Bay of Bengal.

The four parties will start two simultaneous processions from Chennai and Kolkata to protest the naval exercises, besides organising separate campaigns against the “anti-people” policies of the government.

The two contingents will meet at Vishakhapatnam on September 8 to coincide with the conclusion of the joint exercises the Indian Navy will have with those of the US, Japan, Australia and Singapore.