Left ask Govt to seek Mulford's recall

Senior CPI(M) and CPI leaders have charged the US envoy with directly interfering in India's internal affairs.

Taking strong exception to US envoy David Mulford's recent statements, major Left parties on Monday asked the Government to seek his recall, charging him with directly interfering in India's internal affairs.

Senior CPI(M) and CPI leaders said that it was 'unbecoming' of the Ambassador to comment on domestic affairs of India, including disagreements and controversies.

"Ambassador 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", CPI(M) member Sitaram Yechury said.

In the same vein, CPI Secretary D Raja said that Mulford has 'crossed all limits by virtually dictating what India should do on a foreign policy issue like Iran, 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.

Mulford had recently asked why the Left were opposing the opening up of FDI in retail.

"Are they opposed to farmers, business guys and others developing their livelihoods and their businesses? I don't understand what their opposition is about, because the beneficiaries are the regular working people of India," Mulford had said in an interview.