| Published on 31-08-2007 In National |
| Viewed 1316 times |
| It is not just a Congress climb down, left also has given up |
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Written by
Girish Nikam |
The decision to form a Committee to look into the concerns expressed by the left parties on the Indo-US nuclear deal, may on the face of it look like a total climb-down by the UPA Government, and more specifically Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh, but left also has yielded some ground, on careful consideration.
The left parties' it should be recalled had a more fundamental problem with the strategic agreement, which includes the military cooperation between India and the United States, apart from its concerns about the nuclear deal per se. However today's decision clearly mentions that the committee to be set up will look only into the indo-us nuclear deal and the issues raised regarding it.
The left leaders have always been voicing their concern over the strategic partnership, which India had signed with the United States, of which the military cooperation was of utmost concern. However they seem to have given up their strong opposition and settled on trying to nuance the nuclear deal, through the Committee.
Therefore the initial reaction that UPA Government has climbed down by agreeing to form a committee and then wait for operationalising the deal till the Committee comes out with its findings may not be appropriate.
In fact, CPI(M) Central Committee member, Nilotpal Basu told this correspondent that it would be incorrect to see today's decision as "anybody's defeat or victory". He said his party would view the decision of the Government to form a Committee as an acceptance of the fact that "serious substantial issues are involved in our concerns expressed".
He pointed out that the left's demand was "minimalist" and the "Government has also understood our position".
For the leadership of both the Congress and the left parties, the big relief is that Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh has finally agreed for a committee. Dr.Singh it may be recalled had taken a hard stance, stating that since the Cabinet had already agreed to the 123 agreement, there is no need for any review. This had not only raised the hackles of the left parties, but also had made the task of the Congress interlocutors, like External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, difficult.
However, in the last two days, the intervention of Congress President Sonia Gandhi seems to have brought about a change in the attitude of the Prime Minister. It was no secret that Dr.Singh's interview to The Telegraph, in the first week of this month, daring the left to withdraw support, if it did not agree with the 123 agreement, had disturbed a lot of Congress leaders too. Even Sonia is learnt to have been privately expressed her anguish at this statement. But she allowed all the players to have their say, and finally seem to have intervened and brought about an agreement, which now the left parties are also satisfied with.
However it is to be seen whether the left parties will raise the issue of the strategic agreement during the committee's meetings, and seek some re-assurance about it. Today's decision however is a clear sign that both the Congress and left parties have realised the damage the three week stand off will have on the future of the Government, and more importantly on their alliance. Today's decision should therefore bring down the temperatures and provide an atmosphere for reaching a considered consensus. What form it would take, is however too early to predict. |
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