People's Democracy

Chandigarh Convention Flays Foreign Policy Deviation

ON October 25, Chandigarh witnessed a joint convention, organised by the call of CPI(M) and CPI,  on India’s stand on the Iran issue in the International Atomic Energy Agency. Held in Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna Bawan in Sector 29-D, the convention was chaired by Rachhpal Singh, and addressed by CPI(M) state secretary Balwant Singh, Central Committee member Charan Singh Virdi, state secretariat members Raghunath Singh and Vijay Misra,  CPI state secretary Jagroop Singh and its secretariat members Beant Brar and Bhupinder Sambhar.

Addressing the convention, the speakers said that India’s voting for the resolution against Iran was a serious departure from the independent, non-aligned and anti-imperialist foreign policy of our country. Condemning the Indian government’s stand on the Iran issue, they said India’s support to the US’s anti-Iran conspiracy USA has not only tarnished India’s image among the developing nations but also strained the Indo-Iran relations.

The speakers further said surrendering before the US imperialists, who were out to kill the sovereignty of other nations, would be harmful our security and sovereignty too. Commenting on the US’s evil designs and aims, they said the US imperialists have been targetting Iraq, Iran and North Korea as the ‘axis of evil.’ Their hidden agenda was to take over Iraq’s oil and natural gas resources. And now Iran is their next target. India is a long-time friend of Iran and should not have agreed with the EU-3 proposal that Iran should be dragged to the UN Security Council on the issue of its nuclear energy programme.

The speakers warned that the UPA government, which had assured about pursuing an independent foreign policy in its NCMP, should not yield to imperialist pressure and take a firm stand against any imperialist blackmail. It has to take an independent stand in the IAEA meeting, scheduled to be held in November.

The convention asked the people of Punjab to relentlessly campaign for an independent and non-aligned foreign policy through rallies and meetings all over the state. (INN)