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Congress slams Left, BJP

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday termed as “amusing” the latest coming together of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Janata Party in voicing opposition on the India-U.S. civil nuclear cooperation.

“While India is fighting minimalist but potent international opinion at an international forum by putting its best foot forward, at the same time we have a strange and sorry spectacle of the Left and the Bharatiya Janata Party working in tandem, uniting to undermine India’s spirited defence globally,” party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.

He criticised CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and BJP leader L.K. Advani and said “obstruction, delaying tactics and misinformation” by them “must cease.” In a democracy, he said, there was a time to oppose but once the process gave a verdict [through the trust vote], it was time to take it sportingly and gracefully.

The Congress said in case the nuclear deal failed to sail through, the maximum applause would be heard in Islamabad, Beijing and Nagpur, the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh.

He said that of the political parties which were now together in opposing the agreement one had opposed even the first nuclear test in 1974 and the other party had conducted tests in 1998.

“Are they united in favouring India or is it a short-term opposition for political gains. We feel it is political opportunism at its worst….this is nothing but artificial storm in a non-existing tea cup for pure sensationalism,” he said.

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