Kolkata: Left parties said on Friday that they would hold protests across the country over a landmark deal on nuclear technology during US President George Bush's visit to India next month.

Prakash Karat, General Secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist), while addressing a news conference at the conclusion of two-day long politburo meeting in here today, said that other parties would join them in the protests.

“All over the country on March 2 we will have protests, demonstrations and rallies. Not only the Left parties but many other parties and organisations are going to jointly do this. We have instructed all our party units to make sure that this protest during Bush visit is made a great success,” said Karat.

Last month India U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said New Delhi has “difficult choices” to make on a controversial civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States before the deal can be completed.

The landmark accord agreed in principle in July but still to be negotiated in detail, would grant New Delhi access to civil nuclear technology it has been denied for three decades, provided it puts its civilian facilities under international inspections

Earlier, the Left parties had urged the government not to vote against Iran in the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog meet, but analysts say India voted under pressure for the deal.

The deal although announced with great fanfare has run into criticism from nuclear experts and some members of the U.S. Congress who say it undermines global non-proliferation goals.

Left parties are strongly opposed to New Delhi supporting the West, as it did last September when the IAEA declared Iran had failed to comply with its international obligations.

Karat, agitated over the US attitude on deal, said they would take up the issue in the forthcoming session of Parliament and urge New Delhi not to vote against Iran in next month's IAEA meeting.

“Before the March 6 vote on Iran in the International Atomic Energy Agency Board we would like to have a discussion in the Parliament what the Government of India would do? We are confident that the majority of parties represented in the parliament will say don't vote with the United Stated of America ... on Iran,” said Karat.

Washington and major European powers say Iran is developing a nuclear bomb and wants the case referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions. Tehran denies the charge and is fighting referral.

The U.S. ambassador to India had also said if India did not back the U.S. position, the nuclear agreement could be in trouble.

The United States and India are trying to resolve differences before President George W. Bush visits New Delhi in March.

Copyright 2001-2006 newkerala.com

###