The Hindu : Gowda for all-party resolution on Iraq war

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 01, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Gowda for all-party resolution on Iraq war

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore March 31. The Janata Dal (S) President and former Prime Minister, H.D.Deve Gowda, has called upon the Prime Minister, A.B.Vajpayee, and the Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi, to enable the formulation of an all-party resolution against the war between the U.S. and its allies on one side and Iraq on the other. "Being the largest democracy in the world we should show that we are all one when it comes to matters of international concern. We should speak in one voice rather than expose ourselves on such issues," he said.

Mr. Gowda, who was addressing a largely attended rally of the Janata Dal (S) and Left party workers here today said, it was unfortunate that the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies and the Congress were toeing a different line. "It is an unjustified war with those wanting peace on one side and the warmongers on the other.

The war in the long run will only cause harm to the people of the world and not merely to Iraq as is being made out to be by the U.S. and the U.K." He said that while the BJP had succumbed to the pressure exerted by the U.S. President, George W. Bush, the Congress had turned submissive rather than call upon the Union Government to speak out in one voice against the war. "We cannot be spectators. India is a big country and we have a voice in the world. We should come out in one voice against the unjustified war.

If need be, the Prime Minister should send a goodwill team of select leaders to Iraq and express the country's solidarity with the people there," he said.

Mr. Gowda said leaders of the Janata Dal (S), the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Nationalist Congress Party, and the Left parties had all come together to voice their resentment against the war. A decision had also been taken to organise demonstrations and rallies across the country. "We should exert pressure for the war to end."

The former Prime Minister said that all countries, including India, had rallied behind the United States after the attack on New York's World Trade Center and cooperated in the efforts to put an end to terrorism. "But we cannot be with the U.S. in its war against Iraq. The U.S. has openly challenged the United Nations. Nearly 80 per cent of the people in the U.S. and across the world are against the war," he said.

Senior leaders of the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Left parties attended the rally.

A memorandum was later submitted to the Governor, T.N.Chaturvedi.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Council passes four Bills

Central aid likely for apparel parks

Bills passed sans debate

BJP plans stir against Govt. `failures'

Gowda for all-party resolution on Iraq war