CPI(M) urges Centre to stop buying weapons from Israel

KOLKATA: Politburo member Sitaram Yechury today asked India to suspend buying weapons from Israel as it is helping them to fund their war against Palestine.

"Unfortunately, India has been financing Israel's inhuman war on Palestine by being the largest purchaser of Israeli weapons in the world. We have been asking the government to stop buying weapons from Israel, if it doesn't want to stop, then at least, suspend the purchase of weapons to express our solidarity with Palestine," Yechury said at the first Satyendranath Majumdar Memorial Lecture here organised by AIPSO.

"The government has now clarified that there is no change in India's support to Palestine cause, but what is the use of it if you continue to buy the weapons and finance its (Israel) war on Palestine," the CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member said.

Yechury also lashed out at the US for its policies of trying to create hegemony across the globe and blamed it for the conflict in Middle East in order to create its supremacy over oil and gas resources.

He also cautioned the Centre of not trying to get swayed by the US while deciding its policy on China.

"The US wants all its friendly countries to a play a role in containing China whom it doesn't want to see as emerging as a global player after the fall of the Soviet Union. The only economic and strategic power that can come close to US is China, its containment is a part of US strategy and India should not be part of it," Yechury said.

"Already several chinks are appearing in India's foreign policies. We want India not to get swayed by the US considerations and its strategy of trying to contain China," he added.