Nimitz gets it Left, right and centre from Red brigade

TROUBLED WATERS: Experts debate on Left’s main objection – Nimitz, a nuclear-weapon carrier or that it's American.

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New Delhi: Nuclear-powered American aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, which brings with it a massive strikeforce of about 80 aircraft, docked near Chennai on Monday morning.

The ship’s arrival has been preceded by protests from the Left parties who alleged that Washington was using New Delhi to counter China and Iran. Left leaders had said, “The US could be trying to drag India into its wider strategy to contain Iran.”

Matters were made more complicated with the ship commanders’ refusal to clarify whether Nimitz is carrying nuclear weapons.

But as Nimitz sailed into Chennai, the agitating Left parties changed tack. The real problem, they now say, is that the US is a warmonger.

After being told that as many as 10 nuclear-powered ships have docked in India since 2001 and that the Nimitz is not sailing to the Gulf but returning from it, the US envoy to India has now taken away Left’s most vituperative plank – nuclear weapons.

Undeterred, the Left has articulated a new reason why Indians should hate the Nimitz. However, they do not object to India's own nuclear weaponisation and the development of a nuclear-powered submarine.

So how seriously should the Left be taken?

This was the topic of debate on CNN-IBN show Face The Nation conducted by Bhupendra Chaubey.

On the panel to debate the issue was CPI National Secretary D Raja and well-known defence analyst, retired Air Commodore Jasjit Singh.

When asked why the Left had an objection to the Nimitz, D Raja explained that it was an American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and it was allowed in Indian territory in violation of the policies pursued by the country, which was to not allow any warship which carried “offensive” weapons.

But what was the Left’s main objection to – that the Nimitz was a nuclear-weapon carrier or that it is American?

“We are opposed to both. Also, it is a US strategy to drag India into its global strategy,” said D Raja.

However, Jasjit Singh disagreed with D Raja saying that India could not be dragged into any US policy and that the CPI National Secretary should have more confidence in himself and his country.

“This is not the first visit. There were 10 others. But there must be some reason why the present one has brought on comments from some people in the country. Some reports I read were about ignorance and that it will cause radiation. People don’t realise that there are some 6,000 people living on the ship,” said Jasjit Singh.

So, were the Left judgments based more on ideology rather than facts?

“I have confidence in myself and my country that’s why I have the courage to challenge the US strategy and UPA’s foreign policy positions. The US is trying to make India its junior partner in its global strategy and learned people should realise that,” D Raja said.