The Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal is once again becoming a subject of intense debate between the UPA government and the Left parties extending crucial outside support to the government. Things seem to be heading to the brink with the Left parties serving an ultimatum to the Government to choose between the deal and holding on to power. They have been pointing out that the threat to the government is for real and that they will not allow the deal to go ahead under any circumstances notwithstanding their resolve not to pull down the UPA. Why, after all, is the Left opposing the deal so much. They have two reasons. One, it is against India's interests. But they have not given any specific explanation how that is so. Second, they think that the Hyde Act does not favor India in so far as it provides for ending the deal if India goes for a fresh nuclear test. Here again two things are important. One, even the Hyde Act provides for negotiations in such a situation and takes into account if there are compelling reasons for India to undertake a test for its security. Presuming that the deal is cancelled at any date, it will not leave India worse off than now. In any case, whatever the Hyde Act says, it is not binding on India. Both, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukharjee and the US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher have clarified that the Hyde Act is an internal US legislation which enables the US to enter into such an agreement with India and that India will be bound only by the 123 agreement. That should set the controversy at rest as far as this issue is concerned. Are the Left parties opposing the deal on ideological ground -that it will bring India closer to the US which it views as an imperial power? This objection too was taken care of by Mukherjee when he said that the deal will enable India to undertake civil nuclear trade with other countries as well, including Russia. But this does not seem to cut much ice with comrades. There is a feeling that the Left parties are playing the role which normally China would have but cannot due to the international implications. China, after all, has been supporting Pakistan's nuclear programme all through! BJP's opposition to the deal is enigmatic. It was Atal Behari Vajpayee, who as Prime Minister accepted an offer from the US, much less favourable to India than the present one. The government maintains that the deal is crucial for India since it will remove the nuclear isolation, India has been facing due to the sanctions imposed on it after the 1st Pokharan test in 1974 and tightened after the 2nd test in 1998. It will also give India access to nuclear technology so vital for providing electricity to rural India. Reports indicate that the Indian team which negotiated with the IAEA for the India specific safeguards agreement has succeeded in taking care of India's vital interests in the draft which will go to the 45- member Nuclear Supplier Group, and finally to the US Congress. That will enable the group to give a waiver and allow nuclear trade with India. India wants to be assured of uninterrupted supply of fuel for its civil- nuclear reactors during their entire life span, and in case of any disruptions, US will work with other countries for supply of nuclear fuel to India. Also, that India can have its reserves of nuclear fuel by having dedicated reprocessing facility. If these conditions are met the opposition to the deal looses justification. A number of nuclear scientists who earlier had reservations about the deal have come out in its support. They have been pleading that it would be a misfortune if the deal is allowed to die. The question now is will the government allow the deal to die which it considers so vital for the development of the country and for which it has been working so hard? The options before Manmohan -Sonia combine are crumble under the Left pressure or dare them to pull out by going ahead with the deal. It must take a decision either way, quickly with out much procrastination. The US Congress will soon go into the election mode and once that happens the nuke deal goes to the backburner. And at home too, the next general elections are not far away. Whatever decision the Government takes is time bound. There is hardly any time to loose. One expects the Government to take the bold step in the country's interest. As of now, it seems to be dithering or perhaps buying time! Sarla Handoo, -Syndicate Features