US wants India as Junior Partner in Strategic Alliance: Karat

Madurai, Jan 8 (UNI) Accusing the United States of trying to make India its junior partner in a 'Strategic Alliance', the Communist Party of India (Marxist) today said it would oppose the civilian, nuclear and defence deal with America.

Addressing the 19th State-level Conference of the party here, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said, ''We want the United Progressive Alliance(UPA) Government not to opt for strategic alliance with United States and accept any terms from Washington that goes against the sovereignty of our country''. We are fighting against imperialism and will oppose the move to make India as the junior partner of United States, he added.

He alleged that America's efforts to bring the West Asia region under its control failed and that was why it was now turning towards India.

Mr Karat alleged that even after occupying Iraq for the last five years, the United States could not able to control the situation and strengthen its puppet Government, since the Iraqi people were courageously fighting against the American onslaught.

The CPI(M) leader alleged that though the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opined that US President George Bush was the best friend of India, it was the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Mr Bush, who were responsible for the genocide in Iraq. Mr Bush, like Mr Blair, would be defeated in the coming US poll, he added.

Pointing out that economic liberalisation in Brazil, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Bolivia, Venezuela had failed and they were seeking the guidance of Left parties by ignoring the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, he said, India which had been traditionally an anti-imperialist country should not fall prey to the machinations of pro-American finance bodies.

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