Prime Minister toeing the line of US: Left

New Delhi, Nov 7: Left leaders today claimed that the Manmohan Singh government was toeing the line of the US and MNCs in the realm of politics, economics and finance, saying policies relating to food, technology and national security were being evolved in that fashion only.

Talking to UNI, the Left leaders said the UPA government's pro-US and MNCs policies were not acceptable to a large political spectrum.

Top leaders from CPI, CPI(M) and the Forward Bloc said policies aimed at integrating the Indian economy with the global system did not have the sanction of Parliament, most political parties as well as the people.

They asked the government to take the lead and mobilise world opinion for the ''trial'' of US President George W Bush in the wake of the death sentence being awarded to deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussain.

The Prime Minister in his address at a conference here yesterday had stated that often ''domestic political postures'' were based in the past and were out of line with the India's current interests as an increasingly globalised and globally integrated economy.

The Prime Minister, however, had refrained from taking any political party's name.

CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan accussed the Prime Minister of being hypocritical, adopting one stance when in power and another one while being out of power.

He said Dr Manmohan Singh himself has admitted that the fruits of development had not reached the poor but was still pursuing policies which would widen the gulf between the rich and the poor.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member M K Pandhe regretted that the government had given the go-by to the Nehruvian model of development and instead adopted policies which favoured big businesses, including the MNCs.

''In the name of changed intenternal economic and political scenario, the PM is toeing the US line, which we can never accept.

Our doemstic needs are different from that of US and the European countries. We have to cater to the needs of India's agriculture, small and cottage industries and our treasure of traditional knowldge,'' Mr Pandhe said.

''Even today, our energy security is closely interwinded with a wide range of countries around the world. Our food security, our technology security, and indeed our national security, are closely linked with the developments around the world.'' On a question relating to the lowering of EPF rate, the CPI (M) veteran said the trade unions would oppose any such move, while reiterating the demand for restoration of 9.5 per cent rate.

On the suggestion of the government to invest 5 per cent of the EPF funds in the share market, Mr Pandhe reminded of the dangers of such a move. He said the pension funds of the Argentinan workers as well as some other countries were washed away in the bourses.

CPI(M) Genenral Secretary Prakash Karat had recently expressed anguish at the functioning of the government, particularly relating to the ''strategic alliance with the US'' by way of the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.

Mr Karat said the Left had even considered withdrawal of support to the government last year in view of the ''serious deviations'' from an independent foreign policy that was relfected in the changed stance on Iran policy.

CPI National Seceretary Shamim Faizi said global finance had captivated even the liberal economies of the world and this was why ''all this talk of globalised economy and integration with it''.

Besides, there was no national consensus on policies of the UPA government. ''Even our Parliament has not approved the line of thinking of the Manmohan Singh government on the new econmoic liberalism.'' Forward Block National Secretary G Devrajan said the government's new policies need to be corrected in line with the initiatives outlined in the NCMP.

UNI