Left ups its pitch, finds fault with UPA's foreign policy now
The Left has enlarged the conflict by finding fault with an entire gamut of foreign policy issues, making any reconciliation virtually impossible.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: As the nuclear stand-off in the ruling alliance heads toward a confrontation, the Left on Thursday said it “cannot be expected to back a government that pursues the NDA government’s foreign policy”. On the eve of the crucial UPA-Left panel meeting on the nuclear deal, the Leftists have enlarged the conflict by finding fault with an entire gamut of foreign policy issues, making any reconciliation virtually impossible.
“The CPM and the other Left parties had extended outside support to this UPA government precisely to prevent the communal forces from holding the reins of state power. This support, however, was based on the common minimum programme (of the UPA). Surely, no one can expect the CPM to support this UPA government, which in violation of the CMP, is pursuing to continue in the direction of India’s foreign policy that was begun in the first place by the BJP-led NDA government,” the CPM said.
Friday’s meeting of the UPA-Left panel is likely to focus on foreign policy issues and implications of the nuclear deal on India. Ahead of the meeting, leaders of the ruling side will discuss the Left’s note which is expected to reach the government by then. The note, after a series of exchange of letters between the two sides on issues concerning the 123 Agreement and the Hyde Act, focuses on foreign policy matters.
The Left, which has sent a clear signal that it will pull the plug if the government takes the next step on the nuclear deal, is likely to seek a categorical response from the government on its plans regarding negotiations at the IAEA. However, another meeting of the panel is scheduled to be held on October 14.
Recalling that the draft CMP contained a formulation that India would seek a strategic relationship with the US, which was amended following the Left’s objections, the CPM said the government should have adhered to the final version. The amended line reads “independent foreign policy be pursued to promote multi-polarity in world relations and oppose all attempts at unilateralism.”
The CPM said India’s foreign policy should have remained “uncompromisingly independent” while developing relations with other countries, particularly in the wake of US occupation of Iraq, support to Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and “preparations to repeat the Iraq experience in Iran”.
The major Left party said the BJP-led government had “committed to take India into the direction of subservience to US imperialist strategic interests in the world today”. An editorial in the People’s Democracy that attempted to refute the charge that the Marxists had abandoned its struggle against communalism and chosen to focus on its anti-imperialist credentials, the CPM said both are equally dangerous and needed to be fought against. “Both are dangerous, both need to be fought and at no cost can the struggle against one be given up, leave alone weakened in the name of struggling against the other,” it said.
In Patna, CPI general secretary A B Bardhan cautioned the government against taking lightly the differences with the Left parties over the nuclear deal. “UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has admitted the differences during her speech in New York, but preferred to remain silent on how to resolve them,” Mr Bardhan said.
He said unless the government puts the deal on hold there will not be any reconciliation. “India should not be a part of a US strategic plan of imperialism to promote unilateralism, and strive for a multi-polar world and maintain its unity and integrity by pursuing an independent foreign policy,” Mr Bardhan added.
“The CPM and the other Left parties had extended outside support to this UPA government precisely to prevent the communal forces from holding the reins of state power. This support, however, was based on the common minimum programme (of the UPA). Surely, no one can expect the CPM to support this UPA government, which in violation of the CMP, is pursuing to continue in the direction of India’s foreign policy that was begun in the first place by the BJP-led NDA government,” the CPM said.
Friday’s meeting of the UPA-Left panel is likely to focus on foreign policy issues and implications of the nuclear deal on India. Ahead of the meeting, leaders of the ruling side will discuss the Left’s note which is expected to reach the government by then. The note, after a series of exchange of letters between the two sides on issues concerning the 123 Agreement and the Hyde Act, focuses on foreign policy matters.
The Left, which has sent a clear signal that it will pull the plug if the government takes the next step on the nuclear deal, is likely to seek a categorical response from the government on its plans regarding negotiations at the IAEA. However, another meeting of the panel is scheduled to be held on October 14.
Recalling that the draft CMP contained a formulation that India would seek a strategic relationship with the US, which was amended following the Left’s objections, the CPM said the government should have adhered to the final version. The amended line reads “independent foreign policy be pursued to promote multi-polarity in world relations and oppose all attempts at unilateralism.”
The CPM said India’s foreign policy should have remained “uncompromisingly independent” while developing relations with other countries, particularly in the wake of US occupation of Iraq, support to Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and “preparations to repeat the Iraq experience in Iran”.
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The major Left party said the BJP-led government had “committed to take India into the direction of subservience to US imperialist strategic interests in the world today”. An editorial in the People’s Democracy that attempted to refute the charge that the Marxists had abandoned its struggle against communalism and chosen to focus on its anti-imperialist credentials, the CPM said both are equally dangerous and needed to be fought against. “Both are dangerous, both need to be fought and at no cost can the struggle against one be given up, leave alone weakened in the name of struggling against the other,” it said.
In Patna, CPI general secretary A B Bardhan cautioned the government against taking lightly the differences with the Left parties over the nuclear deal. “UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has admitted the differences during her speech in New York, but preferred to remain silent on how to resolve them,” Mr Bardhan said.
He said unless the government puts the deal on hold there will not be any reconciliation. “India should not be a part of a US strategic plan of imperialism to promote unilateralism, and strive for a multi-polar world and maintain its unity and integrity by pursuing an independent foreign policy,” Mr Bardhan added.
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