Don’t want foreign funding in Indian democratic system: Prakash Karat

Jammu, Feb 17 (PTI) Senior CPI(M) leader and party’s polit bureau coordinator Prakash Karat on Monday said the country does not want foreign funding in its democratic system and “it should be banned forthwith”.

He also criticized the BJP-led Central government for its failure to take a firm stand on the treatment meted out to the Indian citizens while being deported from the United States of America.

“We do not want foreign organizations to make such interventions in the democratic system of our country. It should be banned forthwith,” Karat, who was here to take part in the 13th state conference of the party in Jammu and Kashmir, told reporters here.

He was reacting to the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by billionaire Elon Musk announcing a series of expenditure cuts, including $21 million allocated for “voter turnout in India”.

On the pictures of Indians getting handcuffed and humiliated while being deported from the US, Karat said “this is unfortunate that our citizens are being treated like that”.

“Prime Minister Modi should have raised the issue with US president (Donald Trump) during his recent visit to the country. Two more planes came from the US after Modi’s visit but they also faced the same situation. They are the citizens of our country and are not criminals who deserve such a treatment,” he said.

He said the development is very concerning and the BJP-led government should have taken a firm stand on this.

“We will raise this issue forcefully,” he added.

Responding to a question about the recent stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi Railway station, he demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on moral grounds.

“Precious lives have been lost in Maha Kumbh and again at the railway station in Delhi. It shows the government failed in ensuring adequate arrangements. The railway minister should resign,” he said.