The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : It is nuclear fundamentalism, says SP

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Friday, Oct 26, 2007
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It is nuclear fundamentalism, says SP

Special Correspondent

Amar Singh criticises Prime Minister for defending India-US nuclear deal

‘It is for Deve Gowda to decide whether
to join UNPA or not’
‘UNPA does not want mid-term polls to be imposed on the country’

BANGALORE: The Samajwadi Party (SP) has accused the Congress of indulging in “nuclear fundamentalism” that is detrimental to the country’s interests.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, party spokesperson and United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) leader Amar Singh said that “nuclear fundamentalism is as dangerous as religious fundamentalism.”

He criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for defending the India-US nuclear deal and maintaining that it was good for the country.

Referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “India Shining” campaign, he said that the former Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee had to go because of the “feel good” campaign. Now Dr. Singh might have to go due to this “deal good” episode, he said.

It was left to the Congress to decide whether to save either the nuclear deal or the government as well as the country, he added.

UNPA chairman and Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav endorsed Mr. Amar Singh’s views.

Appreciating the stand taken by the Left parties against the nuclear deal, Mr. Amar Singh said that the UNPA would cooperate with the Left parties in the struggle against the nuclear deal both inside and outside Parliament.

Asked if efforts would be made to rope in Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda to join the UNPA, Mr. Amar Singh said that it was left to Mr. Gowda to take a decision.

Mr. Gowda should keep equal distance from both the Congress and the BJP if he wanted to join the UNPA, he said.

Talks with Congress

“At present, there is confusion in this regard as his party had an association with the Congress earlier and had then joined hands with the BJP. Though it has severed links with the BJP now, his own party leader M.P. Prakash is holding talks with Congress leaders. Mr. Gowda should clarify the issue and remove the confusion about his future political course,” Mr. Amar Singh said.

Replying to queries Samajwadi Party MLA Amarmani Tripathi being sentenced to life imprisonment in the Madumita Shukla murder case, Mr. Amar Singh said Mr. Tripathi had claimed that he was innocent. He should be given fair opportunity to prove his innocence, he said.

Mr. Singh launched a counter-attack on Congress leader M. Veerappa Moily for criticising Left leaders for holding consultations with the Samajwadi Party. on the nuclear issue.

Referring to the Veerappa Moily tape episode, Mr. Singh said “Moily is a power broker. Let him look at his past before making comments on others.”

To a query, he said the UNPA did not want mid-term polls to be imposed on the country. “But we are ready to face the polls,” he added.

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