AFTER THE Gujarat, Bihar and PDS issues, it was now time for the BJP's allies to stand up and be counted on where they stand with regard to the imperialistic machinations taking place against the country under the Vajpayee regime, the CPI-M said.
The crucial question, according to the party, is: Will the allies be able to tolerate this attack on our independent foreign policy and, if yes, for how long?
Writing in the latest issue of the party organ, People's Democracy, CPI-M general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet accused the BJP-led regime of posing a threat to the country's non-aligned policy of peace, independence, total disarmament and anti-imperialism, which had stood India in good stead.
Instead of re-activitating the NAM, the Vajpayee regime was more than eager to become a camp-follower of US imperialism and was taking all steps to allow the MNCs, the economic vehicles of imperialism to penetrate deep into the economy to establish their stranglehold over it.
Referring to the ongoing people's campaign against the US machinations in the region, Mr Surjeet said that the allies too would have to give an account of themselves to the people on this issue.
He recalled that the BJP's allies had found it hard to digest the Gujarat order and some of them, like the TDP, were also opposed to the move to deny the RJD the chance to form a government in Bihar. Of late, he said, the Centre's decision to raise prices, for instance, of urea and PDS wheat and rice had become a bone of contention.
In this connection, he noted that while the hike in LPG and kerosene oil was deferred at the TDP's behest in view of the municipal elections in Andhra Pradesh, the performance of the TDP-BJP combine was much below what they had expected, indicating that the mass base of the allies was getting affected because of their alliance with a party that had no concern for the people's interests. Will this compel the allies to have a second thought about their stance? Only time will tell, Mr Surjeet said.
