CPM slams govt over US-sponsored pipeline

New Delhi, May 19: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) today asked the UPA government to explain it was favouring the US-sponsored Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan gas pipeline project over the Iran- Pakistan-India pipeline project.

Flaying the government's decision to join the Turkmenistan pipeline, the CPI (M) Polit Bureau said it was ''disturbing'' that the Manmohan Singh government is giving priority to US strategic interests over national interests.

''It is distrubing that the Manmohan Singh government is giving priority to US strategic interests and sidelining the Iran pipeline which is more suited for our national interests and energy requirements,'' said a statement issued by the Polit Bureau.

The party said the Union Cabinet has taken the decision at a time when the US has openly declared its opposition to the Iran pipeline.

''It is well-known that the United States wants India to be part of the pipeline project emanating from Turkmenistan,'' the Polit Bureau said.

The party also alleged that Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran recommended the US-sponsored pipeline in a statement that said, ''It would also be in tune with the latest US strategic thinking for the region''.

The ''suspicion'' that India is acting at the behest of the US is clear from this comment of Mr Saran to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, the CPI (M) said.

''The Polit Bureau of the CPI (M) demands that the UPA government give an explanation as to why the US-sponsored pipeline project is being favoured,'' the statement said.

UNI