By IANS,
Kozhikode : The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) Thursday said that India-US civil nuclear deal should not affect country’s independent foreign policy.
“We have conveyed our concern regarding this to the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government before the confidence vote. There are many processes to get over with before the deal becomes operational and we will have more occasions to convey our concerns to the government,” IUML state general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty said here Thursday, explaining party’s stand to its workers at a meeting here.
He said by withdrawing support to the government, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has forgone its avenue to air concerns over the nuclear deal.
“Now, the only place left for (Prakash) Karat to complain about the nuclear deal to is (L.K.) Advani,” Kunhalikutty said in a lighter vein.
He said opposition leader Advani had made it clear that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not against the nuclear deal.
H
e said the CPI-M’s campaign over the nuclear deal was to exploit the anti-US sentiment among the common people and to divide minority votes.
Kunhalikutty said the nuclear deal is necessary for tackling energy problem, but the Left is exploiting the situation to make it appear an issue concerning the Muslims in the country. Kunhalikutty said that by dividing the minority votes, the CPI-M was only helping the BJP.