New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (CPI) today (May 15, 2004) added controversial anti-terrorism law POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) and the pro-US foreign policy to the list of issues it wants the Congress-led alliance to scrap when it comes to power.

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"POTA is a draconian law which was enacted to target minorities and opponents. That is what J Jayalalithaa did in Tamil Nadu and Narendra Modi in Gujarat. This is not acceptable to us," CPI general secretary A B Bardhan told reporters.

CPI, whose national executive is meeting here to discuss if it will join the Congress-led Government, said it would continue the peace efforts with nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and China but criticised Atal Bihari Vajpayee for "acting under US pressure".

"We always said we should have peace with Pakistan and we should talk to Islamabad. But we are not for shaping our foreign policy on US dictates," he said while also criticising the pro-Israel policy.

"Israel is the only nation in the world which practices State terrorism. There have been any number of UN resolutions on Palestine but Vajpayee Government changed tracks on supporting an independent Palestine State," he said.

"This has to change," he said.

The veteran CPI leader also did not agree with India's policy on Iraq. "A 7000-year-old civilisation is being destroyed by Americans. The Government could not send Army to Iraq but it is letting 'mercenaries' of ex-Army officials into Iraq."