New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) The Left parties Sunday criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for not seeking the confidence of parliament before finalising the civilian nuclear deal with the US. “Our prime minister, who termed the Indo-US civil nuclear deal as a good deal, has not sought the confidence of parliament and people of the country before finalsing the deal,” said M.K. Pandhe, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member, referring to the ongoing Congressional procedures in the US before signing the deal.

“But the Bush administration did it by sailing through all the democratic procedures of their country before engaging the deal,” he said.

The prime minister Sunday expressed happiness over the US House of Representatives’ approval to the 123 Agreement, before concluding his US visit. The landmark deal is poised to clear the Senate soon.

Recalling the prime minister’s statement that he would discuss the deal in parliament before finalising it, Pandhe said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is “scared of facing parliament as it is in a minority”.

Pandhe alleged that the deal is completely bound to the provisions in the Hyde Act and would affect India’s independent foreign policy and New Delhi’s relations with Tehran.

“It is a serious issue to be discussed during the next general elections. We will fight the deal. We will take the matter to the people,” Pandhe, who is also general secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), told IANS.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D. Raja said the apprehensions voiced about the nuclear deal by the Left parties “have come true and the country is going to face serious consequences”.

“The government by-passed parliament in the entire process of the deal. The prime minister should be held responsible and accountable in parliament, as he did not come back to it after the waiver by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG),” Raja said.

Forward Bloc national secretary G. Devarajan said the deal was meant for protecting the interests of the private monopoly nuclear business houses in the US.

“The US has succeeded in making New Delhi its strategic alliance partner. It will cost India dearly as it would prevent India from following an independent foreign policy,” Devarajan added.