NEW DELHI, 6 February 2006 — Leftist parties called an urgent meeting yesterday after the government snubbed them and ignored their demands to call a halt to the privatization of airports and also voted against Iran over its nuclear program at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna.
Criticizing India’s vote against Iran as “questionable and regrettable” and not being reflective of an independent foreign policy and its traditional ties with Iran, left parties yesterday demanded a full scale debate on the issue in the parliamentary session beginning Feb. 16. The left parties, including the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Communist Party of India (CPI), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and the Forward Block, held a joint meeting on the issue yesterday.
Drawing attention to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal (U), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and other parties having expressed opposition to India’s vote against Iran, CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat said that the government would have to face “serious consequences” if it continued on the pro-US path.
Referring to Saturday’s IAEA-vote as not being a “decisive” one, Karat said that forthcoming meeting in March would be “crucial” during which India should not be party to any move for referral of Iran to Security Council.
“We reiterate that India should not be a party to any referral to the Security Council nor countenance any recommendation for taking action through the UN Security Council,” Karat said. The communists vented their anger at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s coalition ahead of the meeting in the capital.
“Despite being such a great nation it is unfortunate that India has gone down on its knees before the United States on Iran,” communist leader Abani Roy told NDTV news channel.
India’s vote at Vienna came despite a meeting between the communists and Manmohan last week in which the leftists, who are bitterly opposed to India joining forces with the US against Iran, had urged the government to abstain from voting at the IAEA meeting.
Manmohan, who is pushing for the successful conclusion of a civilian nuclear deal with Washington that will give India access to previously forbidden technology, had said New Delhi would vote keeping its “enlightened national interest” in mind.
The Times of India yesterday said Washington was likely to support New Delhi’s bid to get civilian nuclear technology after India’s vote, which came on a day when a strike by airport employees against the privatization of airports in Delhi and Bombay was called off.
The strike, backed by the communists who are strongly opposed to privatization, ended Saturday after the federal Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel gave a written assurance that workers would not lose jobs.
On Friday, Manmohan asked workers to end their strike, which began on Wednesday in the wake of the announcement of successful bids made by private Indian and foreign consortia to upgrade the two airports.
The strike left the airports in Delhi and Bombay strewn with garbage and battling to operate, although no flights were affected.
Manmohan said no jobs would be lost but also made it clear that there would be no going back on the decision to privatize the airports.
Political analysts said despite the government’s snub to the left, the communists were unlikely to bring Manmohan’s Congress-led coalition down.
“The government has not followed the dictats of the communists but done what it thinks best in the national interest,” said Delhi-based analyst B.G. Verghese, who expected attacks on Manmohan by the left to intensify because local polls are due in several Indian states this year.
“They have a constituency to cater to in these states. They want to be seen as the guardians of the working class and tell the world that socialism is not dead,” he said.
Analyst Rashid Kidwai said the statements by the communists and the government action “were part of well orchestrated moves and countermoves.” “The left is catering to its constituency. But there is no question of political brinkmanship or going to extreme points from where there is no return.
“In real terms the communists have not won either round. The government is going ahead with privatization and it voted against Iran at the IAEA. But there is no arrogance on the part of the government in dealing with its partners or the left.” Kidwai said he did not see any “mistrust or distrust between the top communist and Congress leaders.” “I don’t see any danger of the government collapsing.” “We are demanding a full debate in the forthcoming session of Parliament ahead of the next meeting of the IAEA in March,” he said.
