Karat blames PM for spiralling terrorism

Raipur, Sep 28 (UNI) Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Prakash Karat today held Prime Minister Manmohan Singh responsible for the expanding influence of terrorist and separatist powers in the country.

''Insecurity prevails everywhere in India and people were unsafe even in the national capital. It seems that internal security was no longer on the Manmohan Singh regime's list of priorities,'' he told newspersons. Mr Karat was here to take part in a CPI(M) programme.

To a query, he said high prices and the 123 Indo-US Nuclear Agreement were among several subjects on which the Manmohan Singh government's graph had fallen sharply and it seemed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would bag more seats in the next general elections.

''However, neither the NDA nor any single party will secure absolute majority,'' Mr Karat felt.

When asked whether the Left parties would again lend support to a Congress-led alliance to prevent the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from coming to power, the communist leader said if such a situation presents itself then the Left parties would contemplate only if its conditions were honoured.

''The first condition is that Dr Singh will not be made premier.

The nuclear deal should be annulled, internal security buttressed and inflation checked. The Left parties' secular image was not at all affected by voting with the BJP in the Lok Sabha no-confidence motion,'' Mr Karat claimed.

About the Third Front, he said that efforts were underway to strengthen it and it was hoped that former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa might join it in the near future. However, there was ''no question'' of the Front projecting a prime ministerial nominee and contesting the hustings.

''A major reason for Leftd closeness to the Bahujan Samaj Party is BSP President Mayawati's opposing the nuclear deal. Uttar Pradesh's political equations are the factors distancing us from the Samajwadi Party,'' Mr Karat explained.

Expressing concern over naxalism in Chhattisgarh and several other states, he stoutly denied that Indian rebels had links with Nepalese Maoists.

''The Nepalese naxals adopted the multi-party political system and formed a government by adopting the ballot while the Indian naxals show no sign of abjuring violence. Communist-ruled West Bengal is also a victim of naxal violence,'' Mr Karat said.

UNI AS-AC RSA KP2037