Kolkata: The CPM (Communist Party Marxist) today (Jun 15, 2004) reaffirmed its Opposition to sending Indian troops to Iraq and criticised Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee's statement on the issue.

"Pranab Mukherjee has said that India will think of sending troops to Iraq if the United Nations ask for it. This is not the foreign policy of the Government of India and is inconsistent with the Common Minimum Programme of the UPA (united Progressive Alliance) Government," CPM Politburo member Anil Biswas said.

"We will oppose in Parliament any move to send Indian troops to Iraq. We will not allow a single Indian soldier to be sent there," he said. "Our country's policy is not to interfere in the internal matters of others countries. The US wants Indian Army personnel to be part of the multinational forces there, Biswas, the State secretary of CPM told a meeting of the CPM's student body SFI. Mukherjee yesterday (Jun 14, 2004) ruled out a re-think on sending troops to Iraq unless the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution to this effect.