Saturday, October 1 2005 14:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bhopal: Accusing the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Center of diluting India's foreign policy of non-alignment and 'almost adopting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) path' with 'anti-working class' policies, Communist Party of India (CPI) today (Oct 1, 2005) warned that "Friendship with the US will cause danger to the country".

"We oppose and protest against dilution of non-aligned foreign policy. Vote against Iran (with US and EU on a resolution against its nuclear programme) at international atomic energy agency has tarnished India's image as a non-aligned country," CPI leader Gurdas Dasgupta told reporters in Bhopal.

"The US was never a friend of India. Friendship with it will bring danger to the country", he said.

To a query Dasgupta, who was here to attend a meet of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) as its General Secretary, said, "The Manmohan Singh Government is almost following the path of BJP. The anti-working class policies will not be allowed to continue".

Terming the recent trade union strike as 'unprecedented and successful', the CPI leader said it was a notice to the Center that longer strikes will be held and numerous struggles will be carried out, if the anti-worker policies are not withdrawn.

He claimed that the disinvestment of Bharat Heavy Electicals Limited (BHEL) was put on hold after the strike, which was a 'victory for the trade unions'.

To a query, Dasgupta conceded that a complete support was not being extended by BHEL workforce to the unions fighting for their cause, and said, "It is our weakness. We are trying to convince them that disinvestment is not good for them."