Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee on September 22 said Leftists would oppose any move by the Vajpayee government to send Indian troops to Iraq, which is under US occupation.

"Prime Minister is scheduled to meet the US President George Bush on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 24. The US administration has requested the Vajpayee government to send a contingent of troops for policing the country under the US military command. We are opposed to any move to send Indian troops under the American military command, which will be used to suppress the growing opposition to American occupation," Bhattacherjee told a SFI (Students Federation of India) rally in Kolkata.

The Chief Minister said the US had stepped up its aggressive policies for global hegemony. At such a time what was required was that India adopt such policies, which would help to curb the unilateral steps taken by the US, he said.

Stating that the Leftists wanted the Vajpayee government to carry on business with the USA on equal terms like the Chinese without compromising on her national interests, Bhattacherjee said adding, while New Delhi was going with a "begging bowl" before America, China which was emerging as a strong power in the world in economic fields made sure it was carried on equal terms.

"This requires an independent foreign policy and not the pro-US policy", he said adding that collapsed WTO (World Trade Organisation) talks at Cancun had showed how a united stand of the developing countries could successfully oppose the attempts by the USA and its allies to impose its policies to serve their own interests.

PTI