Kannur (Kerala), Aug 31 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) is not against the US or its people but against its policies, the CPI-M leadership said Wednesday.
Party general secretary Pinarayi Vijayan’s statement to the effect follows CPI-M leader and former finance minister Thomas Isaac’s admission Tuesday that he met US officials in 2008.
A diplomatic cable released on WikiLeaks showed that the party had sought US investment in Kerala when in power between 2006 and 2011.
‘Yes, we did seek foreign investment, but it was not just a blanket permission to go for any sort of foreign investment,’ Vijayan said.
‘We were very clear that when we get funds, it should have no strings attached to it,’ he said. ‘We have always made it clear that we are not against the US or its companies; it is only their policies that we oppose.’
The cable is believed to have been sent by a diplomat to the US state department in August 2008.
US officials met Vijayan, the then education minister M.A. Baby and the then chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan.
‘The meeting with the US officials was at the AKG Centre (state CPI-M party headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram) and it was just a courtesy visit,’ Vijayan said. ‘They asked me and I gave them time. There was no specific agenda.’
He added that in the course of the meeting issues like the party’s attitude to US companies such as Coco-Cola figured.
‘I made it clear that the issue with Coco-Cola arose because the functioning of their plant in the state (Palakkad) was leading to depletion of drinking water in the area,’ he said. ‘It was not against all US companies.’
Vijayan added: ‘I also made it clear to them that as long as they don’t change their policies, the opposition would be there.’
He further said that those who thought such leaks would jolt the party were living in a fool’s paradise.
