New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS) Prakash Karat, general secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Thursday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to give an explanation to the people as to why he was engaging in the India-US civilian nuclear deal.Karat said: “The prime minister should give an explanation to the people of the country after returning from the US.” He said the deal was harmful to India’s interests.

Manmohan Singh is currently in the US as part of a 10-day visit during which he hopes to finalise the nuclear deal.

“The Hyde Act of the US Congress determines the contours of the deal with India, including the 123 agreement,” Karat said while addressing a sit-in organised at the Jantar Mantar on Parliament Street.

The sit-in was jointly organised by the Left parties and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S).

“We have launched our fight against the deal,” Karat said urging all democratic and patriotic forces to fight the Manmohan Singh government’s strategic alliance with the US.

He reiterated that the deal would be cancelled in case a government supported by the Left and like-minded parties comes to power at the centre.

The next government should cancel the deal by giving a six-month notice - a provision in the 123 agreement, the CPI-M leader said.

The Left parties along with the JD-S and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) also organised a protest within the parliament house premises that was attended by at least 50 MPs.

JD-S leader and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda described the India-US nuclear deal as a betrayal of the country and the people. He urged the government to immediately convene parliament.

Rajesh Verma, BSP leader in the Lok Sabha, led a small group of party MPs to attend this protest.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) did not participate.