According to Mr.Pranab Mukerjee, India’s External Affairs Minister, India may face the consequences of being isolated from the global commuicty if the porpsed ‘NUCELAR DEAL’ with the U.S.A. did not go through. The isolation may apply equallly to sanctions too.
According to the present politcal arrangements with the LEFT PARTIES, the finalised text of INDIA SPECIFIC AGREEEMENT with the INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY(IAEA) would be discussed with them before proceeing further;but, according to him, still India has not found a common ground with the IAEA.
However, it is imperataive for the country to go in for the deal as India cannot depnd upon COAL RESERVES ALONE. Besides facing the prospects of being depleted, there are enviornomental concerns too. We have to think of the future generation and aoternative energy security is a must from the twin prospect of leaving something for them and also to achieve the projected grwoth rates. According to him, the arguments made against the deal are something similar to the ones when computers and automation were sweeping the world in 1970’s and 1980’s. He felt that the poblems could be resolved through talks.
CPI(M) STILL OPPOSED TO THE DEAL: Holding on to theirOPPOSITION to the deal, the General Secretary of Communicst Party (M) of India, Mr.Prakash Karat said that if the support for the United Front Government is to conitune, they shoould NOT OPERATIONALISE THE DEAL. The deal is contrary to an independent foreign policy to which the party is committed to and India cannot become a junior partner to U.S.A.
ANOTHER SURPRISING DISSENT: There was a surprising dissent to the deal from Mr.Sharad Pawar, the Union Agricuture Minister, and leader of the National Congress Party, an important constituent of the UPA Government. Though he was exactly not against the deal, but also not in favrour of it, if the Government failed to convince the left as according to him that stability was more important for the Country than the deal.. In an interveiw to Mr.karan Thapar in the CNN-IBN Devils’ Advocate programme, he had observed that we should try our best to convince our colleagues but if we are not in a position to convince…. not getting total support….majority in Parliament……we have to take a rational approach and drop the deal as country requires stability.
It appears that with so much of opposition and contray views thrown here and there, india would face the prospect of isolation as far this deal is concerned.