Comrades scoff at Love Story 2008

NEW DELHI: The Left is seething with anger over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's "love" for US President George W Bush. What the Left is unable to digest is not Mr Singh's "personal" affection for the American president, but that PM expressed such sentiments to Mr Bush on behalf of the "people of India".

The Congress, which has been wary of appearing openly pro-Bush, backed the PM's statements with an embarrassed endorsement. Congress media department chairman Veerappa Moily said PM had spoken for the whole country which included the Congress and even the BJP and the NDA.

Mr Moily tried to explain the Congress' position by saying that India was a "Gandhian country" and it did not believe in "the hate culture". But the party's discomfort at whether the PM's statement was open to political contradiction was evident when Mr Moily said this question must be addressed to Mr Singh when he came back.
The Left was forthright in its attack on the PM. "If the prime minister loves Mr Bush why is he dragging the Indian people into it," CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said.

The Left's ire was expected at a time when it was up in arms against New Delhi cosying up to Washington. And surely, PM was aware of the flak he would receive from his estranged allies over his remarks. With just over three months having passed since the Left snapped its ties with his UPA over the nuclear deal, Mr Singh could not have forgotten the Left's undying loathing for the US, and particularly towards Mr Bush.

The Left parties along with the government's newfound allies, the Samajwadi party, and Muslim organisations had organised an anti-Bush rally in the Capital when the US President was visiting India.

CPM polit bureau member and CITU leader M K Pandhe dubbed Mr Singh's statements as ridiculous. "The prime minister may like Bush but that does not mean that all Indians like him," he said. He recalled that the US attack on Iraq had been condemned in India and said the recent air raid in Pakistan was condemnable.

"Despite all this how can he say such a thing. He should not have said it," Mr Pandhe said. The trade union leader said the American president's popularity rating in the US was just 28%. He also said that during his tour to the US ear-lier this year to attend a trade union conference, he found people jeering at Mr Bush during the screening of a film.

But, when the prime minister told the US President ���let me say thank you very much. The people of India deeply love you and all that you have done to bring our two countries closer to each other is something history...,��� the message was clearly sent not just to Mr Bush but to the oppenents of the deal in India. Mr Bush, too, had complimented the prime minister for his ���courage���. These exchanges took place even as parliamentarians from the Left, BSP, TDP and JD(S) were protesting against the Indo-US nuclear deal, the PM-Bush meeting and the economic situation.