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Left hits out at Kalam

May 10, 2007 20:28 IST

Veteran Communist Party of India leader Gurudas Gupta hit out at President A P J Abdul Kalam for supporting the two-party system during a function to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the First War of Independence in 1857.

"The statement that he had on two-party system was totally uncalled for and we strongly condemn the remarks on this matter. Particularly when he is going out. We have a multiparty democracy," he said.

He also criticised Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit for making the controversial statement on the Biharis and Uttar Pradesh citizens who she allegedly said were putting burder on the Delhi's infrastructure.

"We strongly and unequivocally condemn the statement of Dikshit. The Delhi government is run on the funds provided by the union government and the kind of money given to it is not even sanctioned to other metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkatta."

Dikshit was summoned by the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and handed over a written statement to be read out a press conference at her residence later in the evening. She refused to speak to the media in the Parliament complex after her meeting with Mukherjee.

Onkar Singh in New Delhi