New Delhi, Aug 14 - Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat Friday agreed with noted economist Amartya Sen's view that the Left Front government in West Bengal needed to do more in the spheres of primary education, literacy and health.

Describing Sen's engagement with the Left parties in India as 'by and large positive', Karat said: 'He was right in pointing out that the Left Front government of West Bengal needs to do more in the spheres of primary education, literacy and health.'

In an article titled 'A Fraternal Argument with Dr Sen' in the latest issue of party mouthpiece People's Democracy, Karat, however, sought to refute Sen's criticism of the Left's political practice and his disappointment with it for not focussing on issues that are central to social justice but 'much more on India's sovereignty and that kind of questions'.

Sen had also slammed the Left for 'neglecting such issues as hunger and illiteracy and focussing on such issues as the Indo-US nuclear deal which is not a central issue for social justice in India -- no matter whether it was a good or bad contract.'

Karat said the Left's opposition to the India-US civil nuclear deal did not mean that it focussed exclusively on relations with the US, adding that throughout the period of Left's support to the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, it raised vital issues concerning the people's welfare and social justice.