NEW DELHI — The schism between the government and the Left deepened yesterday with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declaring his intention to go ahead with the India-US nuclear deal and the CPM reiterating it would part ways if that were to happen. As the clouds of uncertainty over his government darkened over the controversial civil nuclear deal, the prime minister said categorically that he wanted to finalise the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) agreement."I have said it before. I will repeat it again that you allow us to complete the process. Once the process is over, I will bring it before parliament and abide by the house," Dr Singh told reporters at his residence after releasing the National Action Plan on Climate Change.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM), which has asserted on that it would pull down the government if the nuclear deal were taken forward, said there was no change in its stance. "We stand by what our politburo said on Sunday. There is no change in our stance," CPI-M politburo member S. Ramachandra Pillai said.
The prime minister, however, said he was prepared to revert to parliament once the process of finalising the India-specific safeguards agreement with the IAEA and taking the consent of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) for resuming New Delhi's nuclear commerce was over. The prime minister, who said the Communists' opposition was not new, also expressed the hope that his government would be able to address the concerns raised by all concerned parties. "...We can still work out an outcome that will satisfy all parties."
The ruling Congress party echoed the view. "We stand committed to the nuclear deal and bringing on board all those who support us from outside and people and society," Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said. "The channel of dialogue is always open."