Strong overseas interest in India's fast-growing economy Palash Biswas

Strong overseas interest in India's fast-growing economy 
Comradors Struggle most to Enhance Swiss Bank AccountsPalash Biswas
Contact: Palash C Biswas, C/O Mrs Arati Roy, Gosto Kanan, Sodepur, Kolkata- 700110, India. Phone: 91-033-25659551
Email: palashbiswaskl@gmail.com

Saturday, September 22, 2007 11:57 PM

Strong overseas interest in India's fast-growing economy will help to treble the value of investments into the country's private equity market to $7bn a year by 2010, according to a new study. Sensex India consisting of Brahminical hegemony based on Islamophobia and Untouchability is alligned with global apartheid to implement Galaxy Post Modern manusmriti order. World Bank Slave and ruling comradors of this divided geopolitics struggle most to boost their Swiss bank accounts while indigenous society, polity, economy, culture,language and Nationalities are annihilated! Common Masses bleed and suffer in large scale persecution, genocides, lynching, discrimination, displacement, starvation and calamities man made!

India's rapidly growing economy is ready for take-off, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said here. "We are in the departure lounge with boarding pass in hand," Kamal Nath said.

While Latin American Resistance against US Hindu Zionis Imperialism led by Castro continues! Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro made a rare appearance on national television, in a move aimed to dispel speculation that he was dying. The 81-year-old looked healthier than he did in his last television appearance three months ago, and responded defiantly to questions about his health by saying, "Well, here I am." Castro has not appeared in public since last July, when he was hospitalised for an emergency surgery, handing over the reins of the country to younger brother Raul Castro's provisional Government.

Setting itself in election mode, the BJP today said the country today suffered from an "era of political instability" and snap polls appeared imminent but said it will not not "directly take up" the Ram Setu protection campaign.As of now cold war is going on between Congress Party and Left parties. Joint Meeting between Congress and Left scheduled to take place subsequent to CPM's internal meeting will be used to bring two warring groups to ceasefire.However, CPM patriarch Jyoti Basu today supported chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on nuclear power as well as US investment in Bengal while echoing the party’s opposition to American "imperialism" in general and the nuclear deal in ...Indian officials have held informal talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the issue of negotiating a nuclear safeguards agreement, indicating that the government is determined to make the India-US nuclear deal a reality despite a deadlock with the Left parties.THE CPI(M) in Assam organised massive demonstrations throughout the state on August 28 in front of the central government offices to register their protest against the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, weakening of the public distribution system, government’s failure to overcome agrarian crisis, unrestricted entry of big corporates in retail trades etc.DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Saturday said he was not afraid of the 'fatwa' issued against him by former BJP MP Vedanti, who had reportedly stated that any person who beheaded him would be awarded gold ...

Not only US MNCs , not only Israel, But Japan also play vital role in Shining Indian economy.Enter India on the world stage in 2005. The country had been achieving spectacular economic growth in the previous 10 years. It was open, democratic and no threat to Japan. Japanese businessmen argued that in order to put Japan's economy back on a high growth trajectory they would have to invest somewhere other than China to cut manufacturing costs. India was an obvious choice. The warming relationship between Japan and India today is a direct result of that. Today, Japan is India's fifth largest trading partner, with US$5 billion in two-way trade. These trade figures are very discouraging -- the potential is for US$50 billion trade in five years.

Initially the Japanese were not sure about India, with its chaotic democracy, heavy-handed bureaucracy and lack of infrastructure. But the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal of 2005-07 spurred the Japanese into action. If the United States had confidence in India, Japan would too. Thus began the slow but orderly process of transforming Japan-India relations.

India recognized Japan in 1952, immediately after the Allies handed over local governance to the Japanese. In 1958, Japan participated in the World Bank-sponsored creditor countries meeting for India. Later, Japan began to contribute aid to India in a big way. Every year since 1986, Japan has been the first or second largest aid provider to India. In 2004 Japanese assistance amounted to US$400 million in grants, US$180 million in technical aid and over US$4 billion in loans to finance trade and development.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said that he was hopeful of resolving the stand-off over the contentious Indo-US nuclear deal at the crucial meeting scheduled to be held between the United Progressive Alliance and Left on October 5. Mukherjee told reporters in Kolkata that two meetings had already been held between the UPA and Left, adding that exchange of notes had also taken place.

"I am hopeful that the issue would get resolved then," he said of the UPA-Left meet on the nuclear deal on October 5.Mukherjee, who is the convenor of the committee said, "We have received three notes from the Left on the nuclear deal. We have already replied to two of them, a third note has come, which will be discussed at the meeting on October 5."

The committee has met for the second time on September 19.

The Left parties had rejected the government's note given to them earlier, saying, "We are not convinced about even a single contention of the government," and had given a 12-page rejoinder on their concerns over the deal.

Mukherjee's comment came amid continuing confrontation between government and Left parties on the nuclear deal.

The Indian officials met IAEA officials on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog held in Vienna and discussed the possibility of starting talks on the safeguards by the middle of next month, a reliable source, who did not wish to be named, told IANS.

'I am not saying anything. My views on the subject are well known. We are committed to the deal,' Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal told IANS Saturday when asked about the status of India's negotiations with the IAEA.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei met India's Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar earlier this week and discussed a range of nuclear issues. But given the political sensitivity of the issue in view of the Left parties' ultimatum on freezing negotiations with the IAEA, Kakodkar has remained discreet on the subject. He told ElBaradei that India would get back to the UN nuclear watchdog soon for safeguards negotiations.

Richard Stratford, the chief technical negotiator for the US, has stressed the need for both sides to finish the next steps to pave the way to operationalise the deal before the end of the year.

The Independent Peoples Tribunal on the World Bank Group in India got underway at New Delhi today at a packed auditorium at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The 4 day event is being organised by a coalition of over 60 groups in collaboration with the JNU Students Union and Teachers Association.In one of India’s largest media blitzes, Vodafone has kicked off the re-branding of its new Indian mobile phone business by buying all the commercials on Star India’s cable channels and plastering 80 newspapers nationwide with advertisements.
Fifty years after the launch of the first man-made satellite, the global space industry gathers in India next week to find ways to benefit humanity -- and make money in the process.

A NASA spacecraft found seven possible cave entrances on Mars, triggering interest in hunting for other caverns that might be hiding life on the Red Planet, the US space agency said Friday.While the possible caves discovered are too high in altitude to host life, scientists say caverns elsewhere on the Red Planet could be underground habitats or even one day become shelters for astronauts.

Most of the universe -- 96 percent, to be exact -- is made of dark matter and energy whose composition we simply do not fathom, a Nobel laureate told physicists gathered this week to explore the intersection of the infinitely small and the infinitely large.

"We think we understand the universe, but we only understand four percent of everything," said James Watson Cronin, who won the 1980 Nobel for physics by proving that certain subatomic reactions escape the laws of fundamental symmetry.

According the most recent models, he said, 73 percent of cosmic energy seems to consist of "dark energy" and 23 percent of dark matter, the pervasive but unidentified stuff that holds the universe together and accelerates its expansion.

The remaining four percent consists of so-called "normal matter" such as atoms and molecules.

Dark matter cannot be detected directly, because it does not emit or reflect light or radiation -- or not enough to be picked up by available tools.But its presence can be inferred because its gravitational force deflects light from distant galaxies.

Images from the Mars Odyssey orbiter showed seven dark, nearly circular spots between 100 meters (328 feet) and 250 meters (820 feet) wide on the slopes of the Arsia Mons volcano, located near the planet's highest peak.

Researchers concluded that the seven circles could be windows to underground spaces after checking their daytime and night time temperatures by using Odyssey's infrared camera, which checks daytime.

"They are cooler than the surrounding surface in the day and warmer at night," said Glen Cushing of the US Geological Survey's Astrogeology Team and of Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona.

"Their thermal behavior is not as steady as large caves on Earth that often maintain a fairly constant temperature, but it is consistent with these being deep holes in the ground," Cushing said in a news release from NASA.

Cushing and his team of scientists reported the discovery online in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

The potential caves are so high that "they are poor candidates either for use as human habitation or for having microbial life," Cushing said. "Even if life has ever existed on Mars, it may not have migrated to this height."

But the discovery of the holes, dubbed "Seven Sisters," has triggered interest in hunting for caverns elsewhere on the planet, NASA said.

"Whether these are just deep vertical shafts or openings into spacious caverns, they are entries to the subsurface of Mars," said co-author Tim Titus of the US Geological Survey in Flagstaff.

"Somewhere on Mars, caves might provide a protected niche for past or current life, or shelter for humans in the future," he said.

Richard Stratford, the chief technical negotiator for the US, has stressed the need for both sides to finish the next steps to pave the way to operationalise the deal before the end of the year.

The nuclear deal, despite a bitterly partisan domestic debate, is firmly on track, said the source. After a protracted standoff with the Left parties, the government has decided to risk going ahead with the path-breaking deal rather than keep prevaricating on it, which could eventually kill the deal.

Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma also stressed on the government's commitment to the deal that will end India's global nuclear isolation.

'An India-specific safeguard agreement with the IAEA for the nuclear reactors identified under this nuclear cooperation plan is being discussed,' Sharma said in London Friday.

CPI(M)’s Open Letter To Members Of Parliament

The central committee of the Communist Party Of India (Marxist) has sent the following letter to all the members of parliament regarding the Indo-US Nuclear Deal on September 8, 2007

THE Indo-US bilateral agreement on nuclear cooperation has raised a number of issues which are of vital importance to the nation. Through this open letter we wish to place before you the considered views of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Ever since the Joint Statement issued in July 2005 during the prime minister’s visit to Washington in which the civilian nuclear cooperation agreement was announced, there has been a debate in the country about the merits of such an agreement. Political parties, nuclear scientists, the media and concerned citizens have been expressing their views. Parliament has also discussed the agreement at various stages. However, the current debate is crucial as the bilateral text has been finalised and the government is planning to take the next steps to operationalise the agreement.

It is our contention that the nuclear cooperation agreement should not be seen in isolation from the overall context of India-US strategic relations, its impact on our foreign policy and our strategic autonomy. Further, the nuclear cooperation agreement must be seen in the context of our energy security, access to technology and the development of the three stage nuclear programme.

The bilateral "123" agreement has also to be seen also in the light of the assurances given by the prime minister in his statement to parliament on 17 August 2007.

The Left parties have asked the government not to proceed with the next steps to be taken to operationalise the agreement.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE HYDE ACT

Members of parliament will recall that in August 2006, there was a debate on the draft law being discussed by the US Senate and the House of Representatives to amend the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to give exemption for the proposed nuclear cooperation agreement with India. The two draft legislations before the House of Representatives and the Senate contain many provisions which were detrimental to India’s interests.

The prime minister had given certain categorical assurances on the points raised regarding this draft legislation. The nine points which the Left parties had raised were covered by the prime minister’s statement. However, subsequent to that, the Hyde Act (Henry J Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act" was adopted by the US Congress in December 2006.

Many of the provisions of the Hyde Act go contrary to the assurances given by the prime minister in August 2006. What are these?

Under the terms set out by the Hyde Act, it is clear that the Indo-US nuclear cooperation would not cover the entire nuclear fuel cycle. It denies cooperation or access in any form whatsoever to fuel enrichment, reprocessing and heavy water production technologies.

The denial extends to transfer of dual use technology and covers items which could be used in fuel enrichment, reprocessing or heavy water production facilities. Thus, dual use restrictions remain on technology transfers to India. Hyde Act section 102 (13) states, "The US should not seek to facilitate or encourage the continuation of nuclear exports to India by any other party if such exports are terminated under US law".

Section 103 (a)(6) of the Hyde Act says US policy shall be "Seek to prevent the transfer to a country (India, in this case) nuclear equipment, materials or technology from other participating governments in the NSG or from any other source if nuclear transfers to that country (India, in this case) are suspended or terminated pursuant to this title (Hyde Act), the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 or any other US law".

The Act concerns itself with areas outside nuclear cooperation and contains objectionable clauses to get India to accept the strategic goals of the United States. These issues are:

Annual certification and reporting to the US Congress by the President on a variety of foreign policy issues such as India’s foreign policy being "congruent to that of the United States" and specifically India joining US efforts to isolate and put sanctions against Iran [Section 104g(2) E(i)]

Indian participation and formal declaration of support for the US’ highly controversial Proliferation Security Initiative including the illegal policy of interdiction of vessels in international waters [Section 104g(2) K]

India conforming to various bilateral/multilateral agreements to which India is not currently a signatory such as the US’ Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Australia Group etc [Section 104c E,F,G]

It is on the basis of the Hyde Act that the United States has negotiated the bilateral "123" agreement with India. Some of the harmful provisions of the Hyde Act are reflected in the bilateral agreement.

The bilateral agreement, while superficially using the original wording of the joint statement of 2005, "full civilian nuclear cooperation" actually denies cooperation or access in any form whatsoever to fuel enrichment, reprocessing and heavy water production technologies. The statement of intent in the agreement that a suitable amendment to enable this access may be considered in the future has little or no operative value.

Further, this denial (made explicit in Art 5.2 of the agreement) also extends to transfers of dual-use items that could be used in enrichment, reprocessing or heavy water production facilities, again a stipulation of the Hyde Act. Under these terms, a wide range of sanctions on a host of technologies would continue, falling well short of "full civilian nuclear co-operation".

It is also important to recognise that the fast breeder reactors under this agreement would be treated as a part of the fuel cycle and any technology required for this would also come under the dual use technology sanctions. This would be true even if future fast breeder reactors were put in the civilian sector and under safeguards. Thus, India’s attempt to build a three-phase, self-reliant nuclear power program powered ultimately by thorium would have to be developed under conditions of isolation and existing technology sanctions.

Another key assurance that had been given by the prime minister was that India would accept safeguards in perpetuity only in exchange for the guarantee of uninterrupted fuel supply. While the acceptance on India’s part of safeguards in perpetuity has been spelt out, the linkage of such safeguards with fuel supply in perpetuity remains unclear.

The assurance that the United States would enable India to build a strategic fuel reserve to guard against disruption of supplies for a duration covering the lifetime of the nuclear reactors in operation appears to have been accepted in the agreement. However, whether the fuel supply will continue even after cessation or termination of the agreement depends solely on the US Congress. The Hyde Act explicitly states that the US will work with other Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) countries to stop all fuel and other supplies to India if the agreement is terminated under US laws. Since this agreement explicitly incorporates domestic laws, it appears that fuel supply from the US will not only cease in case the US decides to terminate the Agreement but they are also required under the Hyde Act to work with NSG to bar all future supplies. The clause 5.6 on disruption of supplies therefore seems to be limited to "market failures" and not to cover a disruption that takes place under the clauses of the Hyde Act. In such an eventuality, the US will have to pay compensation to India but all future fuel supplies would stop. Therefore, the 123 agreement represents the acceptance of IAEA safeguards in perpetuity for uncertain fuel supplies and continuing nuclear isolation with respect to a substantial amount of technological know-how.

THE HYDE ACT AND SUPREMACY OF NATIONAL LAW

The government has asserted that the Hyde Act is not binding on India. The relevant issue is that it is binding on the United States and this has been repeatedly stressed by US spokespersons.

Article 2(1) of the 123 Agreement states, "The parties shall cooperate in the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with the provisions of this agreement. Each party shall implement this agreement in accordance with its respective applicable treaties, national laws, regulations, and license requirements concerning the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes".

If the argument is that the reference to national laws is simply the case of binding towards the law, that will have a bearing on the conduct of different transactions under the 123 agreement, then what do we make of the reference to national laws in other places in the 123 agreement?

Thus, for instance, Article 5(6) (a) in part states that "As part of its implementation of the July 18, 2005, joint statement the United States is committed to seeking agreement from the US Congress to amend its domestic laws…to create the necessary conditions for India to obtain full access to the international fuel market…..". Article 5(6) (b) (i) states that "The United States is willing to incorporate assurances regarding fuel supply in the bilateral US-India agreement on peaceful uses of nuclear energy under Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act, which would be submitted to the US Congress". These clauses show that the need for conformity with "national laws" is not superfluous. If there is no direct reference to the Hyde Act in the 123 agreement, it is simply because and this is worth reiterating that the Hyde Act is the `Act to exempt from certain requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 a proposed nuclear agreement for cooperation with India.

NUCLEAR POWER AND ENERGY SECURITY

It is said that the Indo-US nuclear deal is central to our future electricity and energy requirements. At present, nuclear power generation capacity in India stands at 4,120 MW which is a little less than 3 per cent of our installed capacity of all power plants. One reason has been the nuclear isolation imposed on us resulted in the slow development of our civilian nuclear energy programme. However our scientists overcoming many hurdles did very well in indigenising the Pressurised Water Reactors, and then developing it further to 540 MW. The next stage is the fast breeder reactors, in which the Indian scientists are leading the world. The planned three stage nuclear programme would depend largely on technologies based on fast breeder reactors, and in the future, thorium as fuel. This programme requires far less uranium and lower dependence. Instead, the imported reactor route would focus much more on Light Water Reactors, which require much more uranium and are more expensive. Thus even the technology being offered will not necessarily be the best choice for India. Significantly, the mainstay of our nuclear power program – the fast breeder reactors – will still be under technology sanctions, as they would be considered a part of the fuel cycle.

The other reason is the techno-economics of nuclear power and its relatively high cost. Nuclear power plants are about 50% per cent more expensive, even when using domestic technology and equipment. If imported reactors for nuclear power are considered, the situation becomes worse: it will cost about three times as much to set up nuclear plants with imported reactors than coal based ones. It will also cost twice as much per unit – Rs 5.10-5.50 as against Rs 2.50 from coal fired plants.

According to the Planning Commission’s study, the most optimistic scenario of nuclear power is 15,000 MW by 2015 and 29,000 MW by 2021. These targets includes 8,000 MW of imported reactors. Even then, nuclear energy will only add up to about 7 per cent of our total installed capacity.

Going ahead with such an ambitious power programme dependant on imports will come at a high cost and will dry up investments in other sectors. Interestingly enough, nuclear power is not the energy of choice for most advanced countries. The US itself has commissioned its last reactor in 1996! Members of Parliament may recall the fiasco of Enron and its Dabhol power plants.

IMPLICATIONS FOR FOREIGN POLICY AND STRATEGIC AUTONOMY

The United States does not see the nuclear cooperation agreement as a stand-alone. It is part of American design to try in India a wide ranging strategic alliance which will adversely affect the pursuit of an independent foreign policy and our strategic autonomy. The facts speak for themselves.

Two weeks prior to the joint statement which announced the Indo-US nuclear cooperation agreement, India signed a ten-year Defence Framework Agreement with the United States in June 2005. This is being cited by the Bush administration as India’s commitment to cooperate with the United States furthering its strategic interests in Asia.

Two months after the nuclear cooperation agreement was announced in September 2005, India voted against Iran in the International Atomic Energy Agency, contrary to its stance earlier that Iran, as an NPT signatory, has every right to develop its nuclear technology for civilian purposes.

This was followed by a second vote against Iran in February on the eve of President Bush’s visit to India.

Nicholas Burns, US Under Secretary of State, in his "On record briefing" after the finalisation of the 123 agreement said on July 27: "And I think now that we have consummated the civil nuclear trade between us, if we look down the road in the future, we’re going to see far greater defence cooperation between the United State and India: training; exercises; we hope, defence sales of American military technology to the Indian armed forces." The United States is exercising tremendous pressure on India to buy a whole range of weaponry including the 126 fighter planes, radar, helicopters, artillery etc. worth multi-billion dollars.

Is the nuclear cooperation agreement going to bind India with the United States in a relationship which goes contrary to our cherished goals of national sovereignty and independent foreign policy and an economic development based on the priorities of our people?

The objections and the apprehensions raised by the Left parties and other parties, organisations and concerned scientists and citizens need to be examined before proceeding further. All we are asking the government to do is not to rush through with the next steps which are necessary to operationalise the deal.

We hope that you, as a member of parliament, which is the sovereign representative institution of the Indian people, will seriously consider these issues on this vital matter affecting our country’s future.
http://pd.cpim.org/2007/0923/09232007_open%20letter.htm

Iran warns West against attack

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran told Western powers on Saturday they would regret any attack over Tehran's nuclear activities and it rolled out a display of missiles and other military hardware to back the warning.
BEIJING (AFP) - More than 100 Chinese cities including Beijing staged a "Car Free Day" Saturday to fight congestion and pollution, but the streets of the capital remained defiantly clogged with traffic jams.

China observes 'Car Free Day' with the usual gridlock
Beijing's middle class climbed into their cars to go shopping and touring as usual, apparently disregarding an injunction to leave the vehicles at home -- a pattern that seemed to be repeated in the other 107 participating cities.

"It's the same as always," said taxi driver Dong Yongjun, as he navigated up the capital's congested Third Ring Road. "I don't see any difference."

The situation was similar in other major cities, such as Shanghai and Wuhan, a vast industrial city in the centre of the country.

In Beijing and the other cities across China, some areas were open only to pedestrians, cyclists, taxis and buses from 7:00 am (2300 GMT Friday) to 7:00 pm Saturday.

While most major Chinese cities were part of the "Car Free Day" and "Public Transport Week," there was one glaring exception -- South China's Guangzhou, home to more than ten million people and one million cars.

London, Sept. 22 (PTI): India has taken "a bold initiative" to forge a partnership with the US after decades of lack of trust but its relationship with one country is not at the expense of any other nation, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said today.

"India has fashioned its external policies based on the sole objective of optimising the benefits of much engagements," Sharma said addressing the sixth annual Eurasia Conference in the prestigious Judge Business School at Cambridge.

Speaking on the subject 'India in the 21st century and its engagement in the Caspian and wider Central Eurasian Region," the minister noted that India has been engaging various major powers and groups in the world.

"We have redefined our relationship with United States after decades of lack of trust. There is better understanding on both sides of the needs and aspirations of the people," Sharma said.

"While India has taken a bold initiative to forge a partnership with USA, as demonstrated by the recently concluded Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement, it has also been steadily strengthening its ties with China both in terms of scope and extent.

"In fact, India's trading linkages with China have expanded rapidly over the last few years making China the second largest trading partner of India next only to USA," he said.

Sharma said in keeping with the spirit of "our times, India looks upon its relationship with USA and China and indeed with Russia and Japan as well as other leading power centres in the world as being independent of one another."

Its (India's) relationship with one country is not directed against any other country nor is it at the expense of any other country," Sharma said.

In present day liberal dispensation in the global affairs -- when non-traditional security threats which have ascended to the fore make it imperative to develop a cooperative framework to fight diseases and pandemics -- to find solution for global warming and to effectively deal with the forces of violence and terrorism, is more in keeping with India's traditions and value system, he said.

Sharma said India is also trying to develop partnerships with its neighbours. "We want to see a resurgent Asia and do not seek any exclusive sphere of influence but approach our relations with them in an inclusive spirit.

"Our objective is to galvanise the entire South Asia region on the road to progress and development since it is our firmly held belief that economic cooperation and better connectivity alone offer credible guarantees for peace and security in the region."

At the outset, the minister noted "India today has emerged as one of the fastest growing economies of the world. A trillion dollar economy which has been growing at over 8 per cent successively for the last three years is now aspiring to double digit economic growth."

He said India has contributed to human resources development and capacity building in Eurasian countries under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme.

As part of that "we have set up centres in the fields of IT, food processing, entrepreneurship development, technical training and hydropower development in Central Asian nations," he said.

Sibal-Gurudas face off
9/18/2007 12:34:51 PM

Kapil Sibal (left) launched a pointed attack on Left leader Gurudas Dasgupta for his double standards
He was chosen to spread the 'Right' kind of information on the Indo-US nuke deal, but Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal might just have triggered the countdown to the UPA government’s fall.

After all, he launched the Congress's most withering attack on the Left for the latter's opposition to the nuke deal, accusing them of not following the coalition dharma.

"It is not us, but the Left parties that are violating the coalition dharma," said Sibal.

That was not all. He even feigned ignorance of the Left's objections to the nuke deal, urging the Left to at least tell the government of its objections. So much for the meetings between Prakash Karat and the Prime Minister himself.

"I want to know from the Left why they are opposing the deal. Is there some other reason that you are not telling us? You're so open on your opposition to us, please be equally open on why you are opposing this deal," Sibal said.