Submit your comments on this article | ||
Afghanistan/South Asia | ||
Nationwide strike to target Indian administration | ||
2005-09-29 | ||
Tensions between Indiaâs Congress-led government and its communist allies are expected to erupt on to the streets on Thursday during a nationwide strike by more than a million bank and airport workers against the administrationâs economic policies. The four Left parties that provide the government with a majority in parliament Wednesday also stepped up their calls for India to reverse its âshamefulâ and âpro-USâ decision to vote against Iranâs nuclear programme at last weekendâs IAEA meeting.
âWe are not convinced by the explanation [of the Iran vote] given by the government and our differences remain. India should have abstained,â Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury said after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Javad Vaeedi, deputy for international affairs of Iranâs Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran would review its relations with New Delhi. Ali Larijani, head of the SNSC, earlier linked energy supply to countries stance on the nuclear issue. However, after talks between Shyam Saran, Indian foreign secretary, and Iranâs ambassador to India, the foreign ministry yesterday denied there was any threat to a $22bn gas purchase agreed in June or to a $4bn-$5bn pipeline to India via Pakistan. It said in a statement: It added: âWe have been given no indication in these interactions of Iranâs intentions to review its long-standing and extensive co-operation with India which is of benefit to and in the interest of both countries.â India reiterated yesterday that it was not in favour of the Iran nuclear issue being referred to the UN Security Council and that it had persuaded the EU-3 to agree to a resolution providing more time for it to be resolved within the IAEA itself. | ||
Posted by:Steve White |