UPA-Left panel to discuss Hyde Act's implications on Sept 19

The UPA-Left Committee on the India-United States nuclear agreement on Tuesday decided to discuss the implications of the Hyde Act on the 123 agreement and on India's self-reliance in the nuclear sector.

The first meeting of the committee, headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, decided to frame the broad issues to be taken up for discussion later.

Besides the implications of the Hyde Act, the 15-member panel will also discuss the implications of the deal on foreign policy and security cooperation, Mukherjee said after the meeting. The next meeting of the committee will be held on September 19, he said.

The meeting was also attended by leaders of the four Left parties -- Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury from the Communist Party of India-Marxist, A B Bardhan, D Raja from the Communist Party of India, Debabrata Biswas of the Forward Bloc and T J Chandrachoodan of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.

The United Progressive Alliance was represented by A K Antony, P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Saifuddin Soz, Prithviraj Chavan from the Congress, Lalu Prasad Yadav from the Rashtriya Janata Dal, T R Baalu of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar.

Talking to reporters after the 45-minute meeting, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said that the committee has framed the issues to be discussed by it.

"The points of reference of the committee will be the implications of the Hyde Act, the implications on our foreign policy, the implications on our nuclear programme and security cooperation," said Bardhan.

When queried about the confusion on the operationalisation of the deal, he said, "What is the confusion? There is no confusion." Asked if any experts will be invited for the next meeting on September 19, he merely said "no experts are needed."

CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said that the UPA-Left committee has identified the topics to be discussed and respective political parties will frame their opinions on it and meet again.

"The first meeting was held today. The next meeting is on September 19. We have worked out the issues on which we will continue discussions," he said.

RSP nominee T J Chandrachoodan submitted a three-page detailed note at the meeting saying the 123 agreement holds "unmistakable threat to India's sovereignty and comprises the nation's future security." He contended that "It will also endanger India's independent foreign policy and its pursuit of a free and self reliant nuclear programme."