Gates of heaven won't open by inking N-deal: Bardhan

The Communist Party of India on Friday sought to disagree with the views of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that India cannot afford to miss the "bus of nuclear renaissance", saying it was a misconception that all "gates of heaven" will open after it inks the nuclear deal with the US.

Unrelenting in his opposition to the deal, CPI general secretary A B Bardhan said the country should debate whether the generation of 40,000 MW of nuclear power after 20 years was more important than the "complete subjugation of India's foreign policy to imperialist powers."

"Some people are having a misconception that all the gates of heaven will be opened by signing the nuclear treaty," he said adding, these people were completely ignoring the fact that at best nuclear energy would constitute barely seven per cent of the country's energy requirements "even after we have gone on our knees before the US."

The prime minister had come out in strong defence of the civil nuclear deal on Friday saying that India cannot afford to miss the bus of nuclear renaissance as a strong nuclear energy programme was in the country's vital interest.

Asserting that the Left never threatened to bring down the United Progressive Alliance coalition government, Bardhan said "all that the Left parties were demanding was a open debate on this issue."

He said let the country and Parliament debate whether the generation of "40,000 MW of nuclear power after 20 years was more important than the complete subjugation of India's foreign policy by imperialist powers."

Bardhan alleged that a section of the media was trying to indulge in mud-slinging on the Left by alleging that they are not interested in promoting the country's interests.