New Delhi: The CPI(M) today warned the government that it would be a "dangerous folly" to proceed with the Indo-US nuclear deal, but steered clear of BJP suggestions of voting the government down if it failed to listen.

"We cannot allow you (BJP) to come to power riding on our shoulder," retorted senior CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury when BJP member Murli Manohar Joshi baited him to join his party to pull down the government if it went ahead with the deal.

Finding the agreement faulty in its "pretext, text and context", the CPI-M member, initiating the short duration discussion on the nuclear deal in Rajya Sabha, said the agreement was anchored on the Hyde Act which would give any new US President a prerogative to override the deal any time. Persisting with its opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal, Yechury said it wanted the UPA government to stay in power by not proceeding ahead with the agreement which was a "dangerous folly".

He said the Left parties had allowed the government to hold negotiations with the IAEA on the safeguards treaty to clear the air about apprehensions over uninterrupted nuclear fuel supply. The member asked whether the deal provided for giving India full civilian nuclear cooperation.

Yechury also saw in the deal moves by the US not to allow India reach a stage where its scientists could use Thorium as a nuclear fuel in fast breeder reactors. He said the Left had allowed the government to hold talks with the IAEA on the condition that it would come back to Parliament to inform it about the outcome.

Source : PTI