By IANS
New Delhi : The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Monday alleged that New Delhi’s shift in its foreign policy in the wake of the India-US nuclear deal has begun to reflect in its ties with Iran.
“The recent developments have reconfirmed our fears that the US wants to convert India into its subordinate ally in South Asia even before the nuclear deal has been signed,” CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters in parliament.
“This is a very ominous development,” he said.
Yechury pointed out that India did not take part in the scheduled trilateral meeting with Pakistan and Iran to discuss the India-Iran-Pakistan pipeline project.
“The nuclear deal was projected to augment the country’s energy security. But the gas pipeline also was for the same purpose. Not going for the gas pipeline or delaying it is not in India’s interest. India is clearly succumbing to US pressure,” Yechury claimed.
The CPI-M Rajya Sabha member also said the State Bank of India had “suddenly prohibited” extending their line of credit to Iranian firms, which, he alleged, was aimed to stop Indian exports to that country.
“The US has imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran. India has no need to comply with it,” he said. Yechury also alleged that the plans of the Essar Group to have a joint venture oil refinery in Iran was shelved after its partner firm in the US “arm-twisted” Essar into pulling out from the Iran deal.
“The US is not only pressurising India to shift its foreign policy, but Indian entities are asked not to have any economic ties with Iran,” the CPI-M leader said.
The CPI-M and its three allies, which support Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government from outside, have been opposing to the nuclear deal with Washington.
Talking to reporters a day ahead of the scheduled debate in the Rajya Sabha on the India-US nuclear deal, Yechury said the 123 agreement was “firmly anchored in the Hyde Act” and has fallen short “not just of our objections but of the assurances of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself”.
“The deal was a lot more than only civil nuclear cooperation, it has a larger agenda – to convert India as a subordinate ally of the US in South Asia.”
“It has dangerous and far-reaching implications for India to play its role in the international scenario,” Yechury warned.
The CPI-M-led Left parties have allowed the government to go ahead with negotiations on the India-specific safeguards with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to carry forward the 123 agreement. But the Left has asked the government to come back to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-Left nuclear committee for its green signal before initialising the safeguards agreement.