Anti-China remarks over Tibet harming ties: Karat

Tue, Apr 1 01:10 AM

CPM GENERAL secretary Prakash Karat came out strongly in defence of China on the Tibet issue on Monday, saying India's position on Tibet being a part of the communist nation should not change. Karat said statements by Indian leaders against China are attempts to spoil relations between two-countries.

"The government of India from the beginning has held the position that Tibet is a part of China. That is the correct position," Karat said addressing the media for the first time during the six-day party congress.

The CPM leader said: "There are some leaders in India towing the line of Western powers. There have been statements by BJP leaders attacking the government on Tibet.

The NDA convenor (George Fernandes) has also been making such statements. They are trying to spoil India-China relations.

" Karat said the statements could create trouble for India back home. Fernandes had reportedly asked people to boycott Chinese goods and criticised the Indian government for not taking a tough stand on China.

BJP leader LK Advani too had criticised the UPA government for going soft on China. "In our country we have problems of separatism.

Are we going to support a free Nagaland or a free Jammu and Kashmir?" Karat questioned. He said the Tibet issue should be resolved through talks between China and the Dalai Lama's representatives but the talks should be held within the framework that recognises China as "one entity.

" Using the Kashmir example to buttress his argument the communist leader said: "If there are problems with Kashmiri people, we would want them to talk to our government." "Certain western powers seem to believe national sovereignties can be abridged in the name of human rights and self determination for minorities," Karat said.

Referring to the attack by Tibetan protestors on the Chinese embassy in New Delhi, Karat said: "I don't see anything wrong in India saying we regret it." Taking on the UPA for rising prices, Karat said despite the Left's demand to ban forward trading, the government has brought the Forward Contract Regulation Amendment Bill to allow FDI share in the commodities market.

"They must withdraw it, we wont support the bill in parliament," he said. The CPM, in its resolutions passed during the congress, has also blamed the UPA for mismanagement of the food economy, leading to inflation.

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