Left, SP use Iran to warn UPA: we are over 100 MPs, you better change Vienna vote

Bonding with the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal(S), the Left parties today began a countdown to the winter session of Parliament on the Iran nuclear issue, warning that their combined strength of 100 MPs was enough to make the UPA government ‘‘see reason’’ and ‘‘change its stand’’ before the November 24 meeting in Vienna on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Addressing a massive joint rally here, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat, who has been leading the charge against the government on the Iran vote, said, ‘‘If the government does not listen to us and see reason, we will raise the issue in Parliament and force the Manmohan Singh government to change its stand.’’ Chief guest at the rally where invitees included UP’s Shia leaders like Mukhtar Anees, Karat pointed to the ‘‘close link’’ between Tehran and Lucknow—a reference to the Shia population.

‘‘We want to know from the government who it is with on the issue, the US or Iran. Foreign policy can’t be decided within the four walls of a room,’’ said Karat. All speakers at the rally were stridently anti-US and anti-Israel. SP general secretary Amar Singh said, ‘‘Together we represent 110 MPs and the Congress is changing policies with only 145 MPs.’’ Karat said that India’s growing oil needs could be addressed by Iran. ‘‘We had very good relations with Iran. But the Manmohan Singh government seems to have rejected that policy,’’ he said.

After Ayodhya, Iran the big issue: Shia leader
	• Mulayam Singh Yadav: India will be among the worst-hit if the US were to take control of Iranian oil • Shia leader Mukhtar Anees: After Ayodhya, Iran is the biggest issue for Muslims. It will go against Congress • RSP’s Abani Roy: No one will tolerate the Govt’s surrender to US, allowing it to dominate our foreign, domestic policies