Elevating partnership with US to damage India's interests: CPI

CPI today said that elevating strategic partnership between India and the US to a new level will afflict damages to the country's national interests and international prestige.

Alleging that most of US President Barack Obama's "rhetoric and pronouncements" on international and regional affairs were "Sino-centric that do not conform to Indian national interest", the party said the people of India should "double their vigilance against the possible damages."

"US President Barack Obama came to India with detailed economic agenda and with wish-list on foreign policy matters that help to promote the 'national interests' of his country and resolve the deepening economic crisis there," said a statement issued by the party's central secretariat in the capital.

"With the so-called elevating the strategic partnership between India and USA at a new level the Indian people have to double their vigilance against the possible damages to India's national interests economically and its prestige as a country that had pursued an independent foreign policy for peace, development and a multi-polar world order," it said.

The party said Obama was going back with all he desired in the form of various trade agreements worth $15 billion to resolve the crisis faced by the US economy controlled by the "military-industrial" complex.

"In return India has been assured of certain political and strategic gains couched in the diplomatic phrases, that need positive interpretation by the US lobby in this country," it said.

India will be "on probation" during the two years of temporary membership of UN Security Council to claim permanent membership as and when a UN reform is undertaken, the CPI said, "Test will be India's willingness to serve US interests in international affairs."

The party alleged that the UPA leadership failed to demand the handing over of Warren Anderson, culprit of Bhopal gas tragedy, and also failed to take "more explicit stand" on Pakistani-American terror operative David Headley.

"More surprising is the fact that while India fell in the trap of US-propagated concept of world terrorism, UPA leadership failed to demand either the handing over of Anderson, the culprit of Bhopal gas tragedy or take more explicit stand on CIA agent Headley even while saying that the culprits of 26/11 be brought to justice," it said.

The CPI, which staged protest across the country along with other Left parties, also alleged that the US president did not budge an inch on the threat to stop outsourcing to India thus endangering jobs of thousands.

"On the foreign policy matters, US President Obama had attempted to dictate terms in the form of advice on Iran and respect for human rights in countries of their choice while totally ignoring the outright violation of human rights by Israel in Palestine," the CPI said.

"Attempts have been made to drag India in the US-misadventures in South Asia particularly to seek Indian involvement in Afghanistan militarily... the joint statement failed to take any note of continued belligerence of Israel in the Middle East," it said.