IANS

Kolkata, Jul 11: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that the Left parties knew every detail of the nuclear safeguards agreement draft right from the beginning and told them not to "create a scene" on the issue.

"The Left is aware of the details of the draft from the very beginning. They are now acting innocent saying government had run it on website without any discussions with them. Even we know about it unofficially," said Banerjee at a press conference here Thursday evening.

"But at times, for the sake of the country's safety, some documents are not publicly shown even to the prime minister. There is no need to create a scene for that."

Banerjee added that the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front has no right to ask for the details on the n-deal as it also had kept deals with industrialists like Tata and Salem away from the public eye.

"How can CPI-M point fingers at others when they themselves have done the same thing? Till date, people don't know what deal the CPI-M led Left Front government in West Bengal cracked with the Tatas at Singur in Hooghly district or with Salem (Group) at East Midnapore district's Nandigram."

"In exchange of money from the billionaire industrialists, CPI-M hid the details from all of us," alleged Banerjee.

The government has acquired farmland at Singur to set up Tata Motors' small car factory, despite stiff opposition from a section of farmers led by the Trinamool Congress.

However, the front was forced to abort a proposed special economic zone (SEZ) at Nandigram for setting up a chemical hub by Salem Group of Indonesia in the face of violent protests by the peasants with Trinamool again leading the movement.

Asked if Trimanool will support the n-deal, Banerjee said: "We have not yet decided anything so far. But our party is keeping a close vigil on the developments, and will take a decision that will be in people's favour."