11-16-2005, 01:40 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Left ultimatum to UPA on Iran vote </b>
Pioneer News Service / Thiruvananthapuram
Discuss now, or we take it up in Parliament: Karat--- The Left parties on Tuesday reiterated their threat to take the UPA Government to task if it votes in favour of a US or EU drafted resolution against Iran's nuclear programme at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) <b>meeting in Vienna scheduled for November 24.</b>Â Â
Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat demanded that the Manmohan Singh Government make clear its stand over the Iran issue before the IAEA governors meet.
Communist Party of India general secretary AB Bardhan went a step further, indicating the Left would consider pulling down the UPA Government if it once again voted against Iran on November 24.
Both leaders said they had the support of the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) in the matter. The Left has upped its ante ever since India voted in favour of the EU3 draft against Iran at the IAEA meeting in Vienna on September 24.
Mr Karat, speaking to newspersons, said if the UPA Government did not make its stand clear on the issue before the IAEA meet slated for November 24, the Left parties would raise the matter in the Winter Session of Parliament commencing on November 23. Issuing a stern warning to the UPA Government for deviating from India's "independent foreign policy", Mr Karat said the details of how the issue should be dealt with in Parliament would be discussed among the Left and its allies. "One thing is for sure. We have decided to collectively take up the issue if the Government decides to take a stand against Iran," he added.
Speaking at a meet-the-press programme here, the CPI(M) general secretary said the Left parties had repeatedly expressed their anxiety over India's vote at the coming IAEA meet. "We consider that the UPA Government acted in this regard (on September 24) under American pressure.
The IAEA vote signifies a departure from the Government's commitment to follow an independent foreign policy. This is a matter of utmost concern," he said. Though the Left parties had suggested a discussion on this issue with the Congress before the November 24 meeting, the Government took the stand that it could be discussed only after the meeting. "We are still there for discussions. But they have to take the initiative," Mr Karat said.
To a query whether there is any divide with the UPA at the Centre, Mr Karat said, "The UPA was a necessary experiment to keep the BJP out of power. We have some differences of opinion in certain policy matters but they are being discussed between us."
He claimed that the Rural Employment Guarantee Act was the result of a combined effort and in the Winter Session a Bill would be tabled for giving rights to Adivasis on forestland. "These all are the plus points of the coalition. Despite differences, we are extending support based on the Common Minimum Programme," he said.
Mr Karat said the Left was not just blindly opposing investment and growth. "We want growth and investment but we don't want Enron type of investment. We are opposed to that since we lost millions of dollars on the Enron deal. When the previous and present governments went ahead with the proposal for foreign direct investment in retail trade, we objected to it since it will ring the death knell for small shopkeepers and traders. This will be disastrous for over four crore people employed in this field since it will be the question of their employment," he added.
According to him, the Left is opposed to the WTO negotiation on <b>commercialisation of education sector </b>"since it will put the future of several universities in the country in a fix. Hence the Left parties are of the strong opinion that we should have development but not at the cost of the people.
It should be pro-farmers and pro-people." Mr Karat said the Left parties support to the UPA Government had guaranteed economic sovereignty of the country. To a query, he answered that there was still space for a Third Front. "We will work towards it," Mr Karat, who was in the city to campaign for the LDF candidate for the ensuing Lok Sabha by-poll, said <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Why commies are supporting Iran?
1) They want to be anti-US.
2) Support muslims
3) Paid by Iran
4) Venezuela money in pocket
5) They are just trying to be best jerk on earth.
Pioneer News Service / Thiruvananthapuram
Discuss now, or we take it up in Parliament: Karat--- The Left parties on Tuesday reiterated their threat to take the UPA Government to task if it votes in favour of a US or EU drafted resolution against Iran's nuclear programme at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) <b>meeting in Vienna scheduled for November 24.</b>Â Â
Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat demanded that the Manmohan Singh Government make clear its stand over the Iran issue before the IAEA governors meet.
Communist Party of India general secretary AB Bardhan went a step further, indicating the Left would consider pulling down the UPA Government if it once again voted against Iran on November 24.
Both leaders said they had the support of the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) in the matter. The Left has upped its ante ever since India voted in favour of the EU3 draft against Iran at the IAEA meeting in Vienna on September 24.
Mr Karat, speaking to newspersons, said if the UPA Government did not make its stand clear on the issue before the IAEA meet slated for November 24, the Left parties would raise the matter in the Winter Session of Parliament commencing on November 23. Issuing a stern warning to the UPA Government for deviating from India's "independent foreign policy", Mr Karat said the details of how the issue should be dealt with in Parliament would be discussed among the Left and its allies. "One thing is for sure. We have decided to collectively take up the issue if the Government decides to take a stand against Iran," he added.
Speaking at a meet-the-press programme here, the CPI(M) general secretary said the Left parties had repeatedly expressed their anxiety over India's vote at the coming IAEA meet. "We consider that the UPA Government acted in this regard (on September 24) under American pressure.
The IAEA vote signifies a departure from the Government's commitment to follow an independent foreign policy. This is a matter of utmost concern," he said. Though the Left parties had suggested a discussion on this issue with the Congress before the November 24 meeting, the Government took the stand that it could be discussed only after the meeting. "We are still there for discussions. But they have to take the initiative," Mr Karat said.
To a query whether there is any divide with the UPA at the Centre, Mr Karat said, "The UPA was a necessary experiment to keep the BJP out of power. We have some differences of opinion in certain policy matters but they are being discussed between us."
He claimed that the Rural Employment Guarantee Act was the result of a combined effort and in the Winter Session a Bill would be tabled for giving rights to Adivasis on forestland. "These all are the plus points of the coalition. Despite differences, we are extending support based on the Common Minimum Programme," he said.
Mr Karat said the Left was not just blindly opposing investment and growth. "We want growth and investment but we don't want Enron type of investment. We are opposed to that since we lost millions of dollars on the Enron deal. When the previous and present governments went ahead with the proposal for foreign direct investment in retail trade, we objected to it since it will ring the death knell for small shopkeepers and traders. This will be disastrous for over four crore people employed in this field since it will be the question of their employment," he added.
According to him, the Left is opposed to the WTO negotiation on <b>commercialisation of education sector </b>"since it will put the future of several universities in the country in a fix. Hence the Left parties are of the strong opinion that we should have development but not at the cost of the people.
It should be pro-farmers and pro-people." Mr Karat said the Left parties support to the UPA Government had guaranteed economic sovereignty of the country. To a query, he answered that there was still space for a Third Front. "We will work towards it," Mr Karat, who was in the city to campaign for the LDF candidate for the ensuing Lok Sabha by-poll, said <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Why commies are supporting Iran?
1) They want to be anti-US.
2) Support muslims
3) Paid by Iran
4) Venezuela money in pocket
5) They are just trying to be best jerk on earth.