The Hindu : Front Page : Left demands Mulford's recall

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 31, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Left demands Mulford's recall

Special Correspondent

BJP for all-party meeting to discuss India-U.S. nuclear deal

NEW DELHI: The Left parties said on Monday that the Manmohan Singh Government must ask Washington to recall its ambassador David Mulford. The Bharatiya Janata Party reiterated its demand that the Government hold an all-party meeting on the nuclear deal with the U.S.

The recall demand came in the wake of Mr. Mulford's criticism of the Left approach to foreign direct investment in retail trade and its opposition to the opening up of the banking and insurance sectors.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said it appeared that Mr. Mulford was a "serial offender." Describing the envoy's remark as "unbecoming," he said it was "short of blatant interference in the domestic affairs" of a sovereign country. "The Government should seriously consider the option of his recall and U.S. diplomacy should know that it is not dealing with some banana republic."

``Crossing all limits''

Communist Party of India national secretary D. Raja said Mr. Mulford was "crossing all limits." Being the American ambassador did not give him the right to interfere with the domestic and foreign affairs of India. "We are not slaves to any Roman or American empire and it is time the Government takes it up [with Washington] and tells the U.S. ambassador to mend his ways or have him recalled."

All-India Forward Bloc general secretary Debabrata Biswas said the Left parties did not need any advice from the envoy. ``The Government should ask the Bush administration to call him back immediately."

The BJP said the Prime Minister should call a meeting of Opposition leaders and take them into confidence on the latest developments related to the nuclear deal. However, it stopped short of demanding Mr. Mulford's recall.

Party spokeman Ravi Shankar Prasad said the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had made the BJP stand clear.

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