Kolkata: The CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) Politburo on October 11 accused the Vajpayee government of adopting a passive stand against the threat of war by United States against Iraq.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government does not want to displease the US in its pursuit of a pro-American foreign policy," the party general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet told reporters after the two-day Politburo meeting in Kolkata.

Expressing strong disapproval of the Centre's stand, Surjeet said that Prime Minister A B Vajpayee had even refused to mention the threat to Iraq in his speech at the UN General Assembly.

Surjeet alleged that the US President Bush's threat against Iraq was aimed at removal of the Saddam Hussein government and installation of a pro-American regime in Iraq.

"Despite Iraq expressing its willingness to allow UN weapon inspectors and an agreement being reached between the UN and Iraq on the matter, the US is still pressurising the UN Security Council members to adopt a posture to enable it to launch a military attack," Surjeet charged.

He added that save Britain all other permanent members of the Security Council were opposed to military action against Iraq.

Surjeet said the Politburo appealed to all non-BJP political parties to assess the danger posed by the aggressive stance of the US in violation of all international norms.

He said the party would strive to mobilise the people to oppose the threat to Iraq, which could also harm India's interests.

PTI