Ongole, September 6
Holding that the agreement to operationalise the Indo-US nuclear deal was not acceptable to the majority in Parliament, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat on Thursday asked the BJP to join all others in telling the Government not to proceed with it.

“The question will boil down to whether the Parliament can ratify this agreement. If we take that position, there is no point in asking for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) or a vote,” Karat, who is leading a Left procession against joint naval exercises involving the US in the Bay of Bengal, told a television channel.

Disagreeing with the BJP demand for a JPC, he said: “I think the question is political. The agreement is not acceptable to the majority in Parliament. We can all tell the Government, don’t proceed (with the deal). And I don’t see why the BJP cannot take that position”.

Karat felt Parliament should discuss the nuclear issue and BJP should voice its views there.

“Let the country know whether this government has any support in Parliament on the nuclear deal. That will be the best way to make sure that this deal is not proceeded with. How can a government go against the majority in Parliament?

In Nellore, the CPM leader questioned Government’s nod for naval exercises in the Bay of Bengal involving the US. — PTI