PM's statement on nuclear bill betrays govt's pro-US inclination: CPI(M)

The CPI(M) today attacked the government for rushing through the civil nuclear liability bill before the visit of US President Barack Obama, saying the "suo motu" statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue betrayed the ruling coalition's "eagerness".

"We have been demanding statements from the prime minister on issues like price rise and the Bhopal gas disaster verdict which affect the people. But he has chosen to give a suo motu statement on the nuclear liability bill," senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.

"Without any demand from us or the opposition, the prime minister chooses to make an intervention in the Lok Sabha on
his own. This signals the eagerness with which the government
wants this bill to be passed. It betrays its (pro-US) inclination which we have been raising till now," Yechury said in reply to questions.

Asked about the alleged understanding between Congress
and opposition BJP on the issue, he said both the parties have
"The same approach on all economic policy matters and on
relations with the United States".

On whether Congress was trying to hijack the Left agenda in the backdrop of its leader Rahul Gandhi's statement on "Two Indias" for the rich and the poor, he said, "I am waiting for the time when he speaks of 'shining India and suffering India' that we have been talking about so long."

He said these statements by Congress leaders have to be "seen in practice" as to how the government acts on the relevant issues.

Regarding the delay by the government in tabling the land acquisition bill in Parliament, he said a draft was prepared long ago. But "it is not being presented due to political pressure from within the UPA", he said hinting at the Trinamool Congress which has been opposing certain major provisions in the proposed measure.

Gandhi had yesterday taken up the cause of UP farmers agitating over acquisition of land for the Noida-Agra Yamuna Expressway with the prime minister.

The CPI(M), Yechury said, had four years ago asked the government to amend the Land Acquisition Act of 1894 to include not only compensation to and rehabilitation of the land owners but also a share in the project which would come up on their land.

"All these aspects have to be covered in the new law", he said, adding that government should have a role in acquiring land and it should not be left to the "land mafia which has been exploiting the rural people for long".

To a question on the Special Economic Zone law, Yechury said this law was brought by the previous UPA government and "all the land acquisition that is taking place now is under this law".