The Hindu : National : Foreign policy not decided in Delhi : Natwar

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Wednesday, Feb 21, 2007
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National

National

Foreign policy not decided in Delhi : Natwar

Staff reporter

`The Congress used to be secular, but now its policies hardly differ from those of BJP'

Bangalore: The country's foreign policy is not being decided in New Delhi but "elsewhere," according to former External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh.

He was speaking on "Indian foreign policy and Iraq" at a seminar organised by the Karnataka unit of the Samajawadi party here on Tuesday. The former Chief Minister and State president of the SP, S. Bangarappa, was present.

Mr. Natwar Singh said the UPA government's policy towards Iraq, particularly the execution of its former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, has created the impression that India is "trying to please" the U.S.

The "silence" on the issue of Saddam Hussein's execution has been the first departure from the fundamentals of the country's foreign policy which has "always been independent, non-aligned and never subservient to anybody," he said, adding that these were the principles laid down by Jawaharlal Nehru and upheld by Indira Gandhi.

`Decision not in haste'

Referring to himself as a "suspended Congress member," Mr. Singh said that he would take a decision on joining the SP but "not in haste."

"The SP is a secular party," said Mr. Singh adding that he was disillusioned with the Congress "which used to be the greatest secular force, but now appears to share the same platform with the BJP on several matters."

That neither Prime Minister Manmohan Singh nor Congress president Sonia Gandhi have said "one word to condemn the execution of a great friend of India" (Saddam Hussein), when there have been strong voices of dissent from the rest of the world "reflects badly on India's foreign policy," he said. Mr. Singh said on this matter, there appears to be "no difference in the policies of the Congress and the BJP."

Congress in haste

Speaking on the demand for President's rule in Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Singh said that the Congress seemed to be in "haste" to dismiss Chief Minister Mulayam Singh's Government. "Mulayam Singh has said that he will prove his majority on the floor of the House on February 26. Why can't the Congress wait for 7 days?" he asked.

Mr Singh said President's rule in Uttar Pradesh, the largest State in the country, will perhaps strategically ensure that the UPA will have its way in the election of the next President of the country.

With reference to his indictment in 2005 in the "Oil for Food" scam, Mr. Natwar Singh said that "it is a matter of concern that the Congress, with which he has been associated for 23 years does not feel the need to defend its senior leaders."

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