We extended support to you (Manmohan Singh government) on the basis of a Common Minimum Programme. But the nuclear deal, safeguards agreement with IAEA, strategic relations with America, blindly following the US in foreign policy — were these part of the CMP?

We had given you a debit card. You are a former banker and you should know there is a cash withdrawal limit in any debit card. We had been warning you that you are exceeding the withdrawal limit but you said President Bush has said that you can withdraw as much as you want. Our Common Minimum Programme was not with Bush.

We entered into a CMP with the Congress because it has a legacy. From Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru to Rajiv Gandhi everybody has spoken about disarmament, independent foreign policy; Mahatma Gandhi had led the independence movement.

The prime minister is dragging the government into an ‘uncommon’ programme. The government was there for four years plus on the basis of a minimum programme. The prime minister is taking it into a ‘maximum’ programme. I am not bound by that; the CPM is not bound by that; the Left is not bound by that; the House is not bound by that; and the nation is not bound by that.

Before going to Vienna, the government should undergo a dope test. Then it will be clear how there was a sudden increase in its vigour.

As far as price rise is concerned, we had said, put a ban on forward trading. This gambling is unacceptable.

The one hand of the government does not know what the other is doing. The prime minister, while travelling to Japan, said we will go to IAEA soon. On the other hand, Pranab Mukherjee was writing to us saying we will meet on July 10 and discuss.

Now the talk is about who will get which ministry, who will become the secretary, CBI director. Are all these things being done with the national interest in mind?

The whole country is now seeing in whose interests all this is being done. It is wrong to propagate that this nuclear deal is for attaining energy security and providing electricity.

A dealer only thinks about the deal. A leader will look into the history of the deal, its future, political and social implications. The CPM had extended support to this government to lead this country and not to make deals. If you make one of these deals, to support it, you have to make so many wrong deals.

We need leaders to lead and not to make deals. Our foreign policy cannot be outsourced to America.

editor@expressindia.com