Going the UPA way on UN seat a mistake: Yashwant Sinha

NEW DELHI: Former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha has sharply criticized PM Narendra Modi's G-4 strategy to snag a perma nent UN Secu rity Council seat saying it was a mistake to have persevered with the UPA plan. Relying on a broader engagement could have paid more dividends.

Decrying the G4 approach as "begging" and "demeaning", Sinha said the high-profile G4 summit will only unite those against UNSC reforms.India and the G4 countries had negligible chances, and that the government and media might have created an "unrealistic" hype over India's prospects, Sinha said in an interview to India Today.

The remarks, coming just as the PM was holding the G4 discussions in New York, are an embarrassment for Modi's government, although Sinha has been airing his disgruntlement with the Centre for some time.

In June, the 82-year-old leader said "all those above the age of 75 were declared brain dead on May 26, 2014", in a reference to BJP's decision to "retire" some seniors.

As a senior member of A B Vajpayee's government, Sinha held the finance and external affairs portfolios, and was part of core decision-making on strategic issues. He did not contest in 2014. His son, Jayant, won Hazaribagh and is minister of state for finance.

In the interview, Sinha said the PM should have tried to convince global opinion about India's claims by taking an active and assertive role in international political and security issues, in particular the fight against ISIS.

Sinha said the government has either not understood the text accepted by the General Assembly in September or is misleading the country when it claims this is a significant document. He pointed out that not only is this not a negotiating document but a compilation of views of differing countries.

Sinha said that in side letters, three countries had taken a stand that go back on bilateral commitments that at least two of them (America and Russia) made to India.Sinha is particularly critical of Russia, saying India has been "let down" by Moscow.

He said even though there is no likelihood of a foreseeable expansion of the UNSC, new permanent members may not be given veto powers, ending up with a second class status that will be demeaning. Sinha said India made a serious mistake by not involving itself in the US and P5 + 1 efforts to contain Iran's nuclear programme.