Monday, July 31 2006 10:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Notwithstanding the softening of its stand on passing a resolution in Parliament on the Indo-US nuclear deal, the CPI(M) yesterday (July 30, 2006) said 'the sense of the House' should be reflected on the issue and asked the government to consult BJP on it.

"I have never spoken about resolution. The sense of the House should be reflected on the subject", CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told reporters here in reply to a question at the end of the two-day meeting of the party's Polit Bureau.

As to how the 'sense of the House' would be expressed on the deal, Karat said "We are in touch with government representatives in Parliament and working on how this can be done. We are talking to the government as well as the Congress party".

Asked whether they would consult the main Opposition BJP, Karat said it has to be done by the government which should agree on a procedure to consult all parties, including the main Opposition, as this is not a matter of a single party but of vital national importanc".

"Though we were totally opposed to the BJP's pro-US policies when they were in office, we had then spoken to the BJP leadership on having a resolution in Parliament against sending troops to Iraq", Karat said.

He said Parliament should take up the nuclear agreement for debate in the ongoing monsoon session itself as it would be of no use discussing the matter after the US Congress adopts the relevant law.

"Parliament has the sovereign right to discuss the agreement if the US Congress can do so clause by clause," he said.