Ansari's harsh comments on US take parties by surprise

NEW DELHI: Hamid Ansari's harsh comments on US' Iraq policy took political parties by surprise coming as it is from a Vice President with the BJP pointedly asking the Government whether it subscribed to his views while the Congress downplayed it as an "individual opinion."
   
The CPI, on the other hand, agreed with Ansari, saying American policies were instrumental in propelling terrorism across the world.

In a strong criticism of the US approach on Iraq, Ansari on Wednesday said Washington's policy of "unilateralism" and "pre-emption" has faltered and lent "impetus to terrorism".
   
The US has been "mauled by non-state actors in Iraq" and the Bush administration has lost domestic support for its policy on the Gulf country, he said addressing a conference on 'Emerging Security Concerns in West Asia'.
 
Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu expressed "surprise" at his comments "as it came from a person of the stature of Vice President".
   
"I don't know whether it is the view of the Government of India because the President and the Vice President are supposed to represent the government. If it is the view of the ruling combine ... they have to explain," Naidu said.
   
The Congress played down Ansari's comments, with party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed saying "The party's view is different. An individual's view will be different."

CPI National Secretary D Raja said, "It is a well-known fact that the aggressive policies of US have provided ground for the emergence of terrorism."

He further said "In fact, the US is supportingstate-sponsored terrorism."