Coimbatore: The India-US civilian nuclear deal is not good for India. This is the verdict of an American communist delegate attending the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) here.

"It is a very dangerous deal. India should not sign it," Terrie Albano, a representative of Communist Party of USA, told IANS here. "It will destabilize the region. That is the modus operandi of the (George W.) Bush administration. The CPI-M's stance that the deal would do damage to India's interests is correct," Albano said.

According to Albano, India should maintain an independent foreign policy for the sake of security balance in the region. According to her, there is a fresh awakening among the young and educated in the US against the policies of the Bush administration. "The Iraq war and the failed economic policies have led to major disappointments. There is growing disenchantment among the educated as the Bush government failed to create jobs," she said.

"A student invests $10,000 in the universities. But what's the use if he is not ensured of a job? There is also no proper funding in the education sector from the federal government. An ordinary American is worried about the failing economy. There are problems in the housing and health insurance sectors," Albano added. How important are the Communists in the US? She replied: "We have a long proud history. I have been in the communist movement since 1988."

Source : IANS