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IUML will remain in UPA: Ahamed

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed on Saturday denied any move to give up his ministerial berth in protest against the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal, and said the Indian Union Muslim League would vote for the government on the trust motion.

Briefing journalists here amid speculation on the IUML pulling out its lone Minister from the government as a token of protest while remaining within the United Progressive Alliance.

Mr. Ahamed admitted that his party had “serious reservations” about the deal. “But, that does not mean we can forget all the good things this government has done; particularly for minorities. No government since Independence has paid so much attention to minorities. The appointment of the Sachar Committee to study the status of Muslims was a laudable exercise,” Mr. Ahamed pointed out, reeling out the pro-minority measures adopted by the UPA government especially for Muslims.

Endeavours

The IUML, he said, could not ignore the fact that it was Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s endeavours that saved the country from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“But for her, the UPA would not have been formed. And, now the UPA has become a rallying point for secular leadership from across the country including Lalu Prasad, M. Karunanidhi and Mulayam Singh.”

Admitting to concerns over certain aspects of the deal, Mr. Ahamed, however, did not elaborate expect saying the IUML wanted to know whether India would continue to have an independent foreign policy.These concerns had been communicated to the Prime Minister and Ms. Gandhi. What course of action will the IUML take if the issues it raised are not addressed? He said: “We will await a response and then decide accordingly.”

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