Left's new indigestion: safeguards agreement

After the text of safeguards agreement between the ruling Congress-led UPA government and the International Atomic Energy Agency has been exposed to the world, the Left parties are finding themselves unable to digest why the govt fobbed them. If the so-called “secret” text can be shown to people and the world then why the government didn't show it to them earlier despite their multiple demands.

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Secondly, for the Left, again it was a betrayal on the part of the government when it snapped its commitment of seeking trust vote in the Parliament before approaching the IAEA.

The CPM general secretary Prakash Karat mentioned here the UPA's chief convenor on the deal and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's statement what he said on Tuesday after consulting Prime Minister on the phone when he was in Japan. Mr. Mukherjee announced on Tuesday that the government would send India's safeguard agreement to the IAEA Board of Governors for the approval only if the government won the vote of confidence in Parliament.

The Prime Minister himself had announced to secure a trust vote before going to IAEA for the safeguards agreement in the nuclear deal. What led Dr. Manmohan Singh for his breach of promise made to the people of India? The Left parties characterised the move as a shocking betrayal of a moral commitment made to the country and the people.

The government had no concrete reason to keep the text secret. As far as IAEA rules are concerned, it demanded no disclosure on their part, but has not mentioned such secrecy on the part of the signatory country. Prakash Karat wanted to know who has declared draft safeguards agreement confidential: IAEA or UPA.

“We know how to fight against the deal and we will make it politically impossible for the government to go ahead with the agreement,” Karat told a press conference here on Thursday.

On the other hand, Prime Minister during his 30-minute meeting with the President Pratibha Patil told her that he would face the trust vote in the Lok Sabha very soon. The government will announce the date for calling special session of Parliament by Friday evening.

Safeguards agreement

Safeguards agreement with India provides the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear watchdog to keep an eye on those nuclear reactors brought under its purview for whether the nuclear fuel was being used for making nuclear bomb or electricity, as the deal to make available global nuclear energy to India is for making electricity or for other civilian programme only.

To keep an eye on the nuclear programme and the nuclear reactor by the IAEA is essential for it as the technology for making nuclear bomb and the electricity is the same.

The exception to bring under supervision has been provided to only five nuclear super powers: America, Britain, China, Russia and France. For them the self inspection is required only. IAEA can not encroach on those nuclear reactors in these countries, which they want to keep out of sight to IAEA.

But, in case of India, the condition is completely different. Only those reactors will be brought under IAEA supervision, for which the global nuclear fuel will be supplied. The IAEA will maintain that such fuel must not be used for strategic purpose other than civilian use such as making electricity. The continual supply of global nuclear fuel to the Indian reactor has been mentioned in the draft.