The UPA-Left committee on the Indo-US nuclear deal is likely to hold its first meeting next week, even though the opposition -led by BJP had protested against formation of such a panel.

Briefing reporters after meeting External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, convenor of the 15-member panel, CPM Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said: “We are not free till September 9. So, the committee will have to meet after that.”

The top Left leaders are busy with the protest campaigns against the joint naval exercise in Bay of Bengal involving the US. They would hold a sit-in demonstration in Parliament on Thursday to mark their opposition to the exercise.

The committee, which was set up last week to look into the Left’s concerns on the nuclear deal, has six members from the Congress, three from the UPA partners and six from the Left parties.

The government has already turned down the opposition demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
As part of the ongoing tirade of the Left parties against the “anti-people” policies of the UPA government, the CPM has condemned the decision to import nearly 8 lakh tonnes of wheat at Rs 1,600 per tonne.
Party Politburo member Brinda Karat has also written to Prime Minister.

She stated that in April-May, the government had paid Indian farmers Rs 850 rupees per tonne. “The government paid Rs 824.88 crore less to Indian farmers. Even if the transport charges and other expenditure are added, the price of imported wheat is much more than that paid to Indian farmers. Can such a policy ever be defended,” she asked.

Ms Karat pointed out that when the production of wheat increased by 6 million tonnes to nearly 75 million tonnes this year, there was absolutely no justification for such an import.