External forces cannot decide regime change: India

India today came out with a strong message that "external powers" cannot decide the regime change in Libya after a strong demand was made in the Lok Sabha that the House unanimously pass a resolution condemning allied air strikes on that country.

The House saw an impromptu discussion on the issue when SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav raised it with almost all members ranging from the Left to the BJP condemning the air strikes on Libya by the US-led allied forces.

At the same time, they expressed their support to those striving for democracy in the north African oil-rich nation ruled for over four decades by Col. Muammar Gaddafi.

"The Lok Sabha has to condemn the attack on Libya. Innocent civilians have been killed and Parliament cannot keep quiet," Yadav said.

Responding to the concerns expressed by members, Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee said the government has already expressed its unhappiness over the intervention of allied countries against Libya.

"No external powers should interfere in it.... What is happening in Libya is an internal affair of that country," he said.

"Nobody, no two or three countries can take a decision to change a particular regime in a third country," Mukherjee said.

"Whether a regime will change or not will depend on the people of that particular country, not by any external forces," he said.

India has regretted the air strikes by the US-led coalition forces in Libya and called upon all the parties to abjure use of force and resolve the differences through peaceful means.

An External Affairs Ministry statement on Sunday said India hoped that the air strikes would not harm innocent civilians, foreign nationals and diplomatic missions and their personnel, who are still in Libya.

Participating in the discussion, Basudeb Acharia (CPI-M) said the House should condemn the brutal attack on Libya and recalled that the Lok Sabha had deplored the aggression of Iraq by the US.

He, as also Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI), appreciated the stand taken by the Government on Libya, but said it was not enough.

"In the name of unseating Gadaffi, thousands of innocent Libyans are being killed in the NATO bombings. Another Iraq and another Afghanistan is being created," Dasgupta said.

"We are against Gadaffi but do not believe in NATO bombings. It is a war for oil," he said.