CPM seeks review of all Indo-US forums

NEW DELHI: The CPI (M) on Thursday demanded a review of all India-US joint forums, including the Indo-US Cyber Security Forum, in the wake of suspected espionage for CIA in the National Security Council that was linked to a US woman diplomat here.

"The UPA government must face up to the fact that the 'strategic partnership' with the US is facilitating strategic spying,'' the party's polit bureau said.

The doors have been opened for systematic subversion of security and intelligence agencies in India after the BJP-led government started security and intelligence collaboration with the US, it said in a statement.

"There has to be an urgent review of the joint forums and collaboration such as the Indo-US Cyber Security Forum which are being conducted under the overall rubric of Indo-US security collaboration,'' the polit bureau said.

Terming the alleged espionage at the National Security Council in which two of its personnel were arrested as an extremely serious matter, the CPI (M) said the government should take immediate steps to prevent security breaches.

The government should also come out with a full and comprehensive report in Parliament about the espionage and security breaches and the exact nature of the Indo-US security collaboration, it added.