CPM flays govt's silence on Iraq

As if the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had not had enough of the opposition crying hoarse over the induction of "tainted ministers", its ally, the CPI(M) added to the chorus of dissent, raising objections that the President's address had been silent on Iraq.

The Left parties had been opposing the US-led war against the Saddam Hussein regime, almost coercing the last National democratic Alliance (NDA) government to issue a statement on it.

"The last government was soft on the war in Iraq, and we raised the issue at that time as well, after which the government issued a statement," said CPI(M) leader Vasudev Acharya.

"We protest against the fact that the President's speech had no mention of Iraq and no condemnation of the human rights violations there," said Acharya.

Demanding a reversal of the foreign policy pursued by the previous government, which according to him "went back on our commitment to Palestine," he said "it is surprising that the President's speech did not raise this issue as well."

On why the issue was being raised when the CPI(M) had been party to approving the common minimum programme (CMP), Acharya said some issues which had been in the CMP had been dealt differently in the speech.

"The transfer of all centrally-sponsored schemes to the states had been part of the CMP but has not been dealt with in the President's speech," he said.

"Also, the CMP talks of disinvesting only non-profitable public sector undertakings (PSUs), while the President's speech does not make the distinction and says it will be on merit," he said.

With the UPA's own allies opposing sections of the President's speech, the first vote of confidence for the new government seems to be headed for stormy weather.