“Only if it does not enter into strategic alliance with U.S.”
— PHOTO: S. JAMES
SPELLING OUT PARTY’S STAND: CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat addressing a meeting after unveiling a statue of CITU’s first general secretary P.Ramamoorthy, in Madurai on Thursday.
MADURAI: The commitment of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government is to the extent that “it does not sell out India and does not enter into any strategic alliance with the United States,” its general secretary, Prakash Karat, has said.
Stating that his party had made this clear to the Government, he said, “The Government should decide whether to fulfil the commitment made to the people of the country through the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) or to enter into a nuclear agreement with the U.S. as per the time-table of the U.S.”
Mr. Karat was addressing a meeting organised to mark the birth centenary celebration of the first general secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), P. Ramamoorthy, here on Thursday. He unveiled a life-size bronze statue of the leader.
“We are going to the people,” Mr. Karat said exuding confidence that the party’s stand on the issue would get people’s support. The CPI (M) had proposed a nation-wide campaign to explain its stand on the issue.
Clarifying that the party had been supporting the Congress and its Government despite differences of opinion during all crucial moments of the country, he said veteran leaders such as Ramamoorthy had taught the party not to submit the country to imperialistic forces.
It was only because of the opposition of the Left parties that the Union Government could not pass legislation to open up insurance, banking and retail trade as dictated by the U.S., he said.
“Ready for discussions”
Expressing hope that his party could “convince the Government not to have it (nuclear deal),” Mr. Karat said that the CPI (M) was ready to discuss the issue as many times at the UPA-Left committee meetings “provided they (the Government) do not operationalise it.” Claiming that the deal was not acceptable to the majority, he said that in a democratic set-up, the Government could not proceed with minority support for the issue.
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