New Delhi, January 30
The Left parties today asked the UPA government to seek the recall of US Ambassador David Mulford as his comments on nuclear issue and opening of the retail sector were a direct interference in the internal affairs of India.
“Mulford has made wide-ranging intervention in the internal affairs of India... To say the least, it is very unfortunate. It confirms our earlier apprehension that he is directly interfering in India’s internal affairs. We have been raising this before. Now, the government should demand his recall from India as it is unbecoming on any Ambassador’s part to comment on such matters,” CPM Politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters.
Left leaders said it was “unbecoming” of Mulford to comment on domestic affairs of India, including disagreements and controversies.
CPI secretary D. Raja said Mulford had “crossed all limits by virtually dictating what India should do on a foreign policy issue like Iran and now on its economic policies and what political parties should do or not do”.
The UPA government should take up the issue with the US authorities at the appropriate level to “either make him mend his ways or seek his recall”, Raja said.
The Left leaders questioned Mulford’s pleading for opening up the retail sector and his assertion that the move would benefit “regular working people” in India. “We have apprehensions that the move would render millions of people unemployed in the retail sector,” they said. “It is none of the US business to dictate us what we should do in FDI or retail,” they added.
