The Hindu : Togadia flays Govt.'s 'pro-Iraq' policy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 30, 2003

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Togadia flays Govt.'s 'pro-Iraq' policy

New Delhi March 29. Disagreeing with the Government's ``dogmatic'' policy on Iraq, the senior VHP leader, Praveen Togadia, today said India's economic and civilisational interest lay in adopting a pro-American stand.

Mr. Togadia, who had stirred a hornet's nest with his earlier statement supporting the U.S. and forced the VHP to disown it, charged the Government with ``repeating the Gujral doctrine'' which led to the displacement of thousands of Indians from the Gulf during the previous war.

``Foreign policy should not be dogmatic. Iraq today owes us $ 120 millions. We have one oil well. Finally, George Bush will have his say and post-war there will be an economic boom. We should see our economic interest,'' he said answering questions at a public lecture organised by the Image India Foundation.

``India's civilisational and economic interest lies in being pro-U.S. We can achieve Pakistan via Baghdad, which we could not via Kargil,'' he asserted.

Mr. Togadia also suggested a ``civilisational treaty'' between Russia, the U.S., India and Israel to counter Islamic fundamentalism.

He said infiltration from Bangladesh ranked second in terms of priority for the VHP after the Ram temple issue and plans were afoot to build a mass movement on the issue.

PTI

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