New Delhi: The CPI(M) today accused the government of mounting a "massive disinformation campaign" to promote a "bad" nuclear deal, which it said, was only a cover to promote strategic ties with the US.

"The Congress leadership and the UPA government are propogating that the Indo-US nuclear deal is absolutely essential for India's energy security. A massive disinformation campaign has been mounted that nuclear energy is a solution not only to the shortage of electricity in the country but also an answer to the oil price rise. This is nothing but a cover to promote the strategic ties with the US," the CPI(M) Politburo said in a statement here.

It said as it was difficult to promote Indo-US strategic ties directly, "therefore the recourse to false claims that nuclear energy at one stroke (will) reduce not only our oil consumption but also remove our power shortages." The party also accused the government of "dragging its feet" on the Iran gas pipeline project "at the behest of the US and in consideration of the Hyde Act".

Maintaining that the Indo-US nuclear deal was "not about India's energy security", the major Left party said, "mythical energy claims are being made in order to promote a bad nuclear deal. Energy is just a cover. The real intent is India-US strategic ties."

The CPI(M) said energy security could be achieved by using indigenous resources, like coal, and "ensuring our future energy supplies from Iran and other countries in West and Central Asia."
Source : PTI