NEW DELHI: Janata Dal leader V.P.Singh has severely criticized Pome Minister PV Narasimha Rao for “compromising” India’s security and national interests by giving in to the US proposal for a multilateral security plan for South Asia, during his current visit to the USA.
Mr. Singh announced that his party planned to launch a nationwide campaign to awaken the national pride against imperial onslaught.
The former Prime Minister who was addressing newsmen in the Capital last week on his. return from an election tour of Vaisakhi in Bihar, talked only about India’s Security concerns in the context of Rio’s US visit as well as this direction to delay the test-firing of Prithvi and Agni.
Singh said that while the USA was clear in its priorities, India appeared ambivalent. He said that the USA, by putting pressure on India to become pan of the five plus Iwo plus two security plans was primarily trying to establish itself as the sole arbiter on global Peace and security matters.
“Their main objective is to ensure that in South Asia, no country become powerful enough to challenge their might. We are in no position to change the US agenda by agreeing to their multilateral security plan.
On the other hand, we will close Gur Options of solving our problems with our neighbors such as Pakistan, through bilateral negotiations und agreements,” Singh pointed out.
He also severely criticized the US Administration for asking for tapping of India’s nuclear programs and wondered why the US ‘was not making a beginning by Capping its own nuclear program, instead.
He warned that if India agreed to multilateral security plans, it will subject itself automatically to institutional security of its nuclear and security setup.
V.P.Singh also blamed the reported one year delay in the Agni and Prithv programs on US. He claimed that a demand by the Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO) for Rs 50 crore funds to further India’s nuclear program has been turned down by the Government on the plea of resource crunch.
He also criticized the IMF and ‘World Bank for threatening India to withdraw financial support in Case the Country pursues its policies, and declared that nations run On national will and not on IMF doles.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 10, 1994