N-deal support was in national interest: Mulayam

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said on Monday that the decision to support the Congress-led government at the Centre on the civilian nuclear deal issue was taken in the national interest.

"Questions are being raised as to why we supported the Central government on nuclear deal issue, but the decision was taken keeping in mind the national security and only for the country's sake," Yadav said, while addressing a 'shradhanjali  sabha' organised to pay tribute to former SP leader Janeshwar Mishra in Lucknow.

"At that time we decided to extend support to the Centre with only one thing on our mind that the country should not become weak and should remain safe from external forces," he said.

Remembering the contribution of Mishra to the socialist movement, Mulayam said that he was a great mentor, who advised him during troubled times. "He was a man of words. He practised what he used to tell others," he said.

The SP supremo said that Mishra's demise was a great loss to the socialist movement and a personal loss for him. "We should take inspiration from his life and follow the same in our lives, will be the real tribute to a great leader," he said.

Leaders of various political parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party's state president Ramapati Ram Tripathi, Member of Parliament, Kalraj Mishra, Rashtriya Lok Dal's state unit chief Ram Asrey Verma and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Ashok Singh paid their tributes to Mishra.