> >INDIA PROTESTS AGAINST CLINTON'S VISIT > >Massive protests were organized throughout the length and breadth of India >against the visit of U.S. President Clinton and the shameless way in which the >BJP-led Government extended a red-carpet welcome to this hated enemy of >humanity. Unprecedented security measures were taken to protect him from the >demonstrators and the entire area of several square km areas surrounding his >places of stay were sealed off from the people of the land. In spite of all >this people burst out in protest everywhere. > >NEW DELHI > >In New Delhi hundreds of activists of the Socialist Unity Centre of India from >the States of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and UP gathered at Mandi House >circle at 10 AM today to protest against the visit of Bill Clinton to India at >the invitation of the BJP-led Government. Holding banners, placards, cartoons >of Clinton and shouting slogans like "US imperialism, hands off Iraq", >"Clinton, stop intervention in the Indian economy", "Clinton, vacate Kosovo >and Iraq", "Clinton, stop supporting terrorist groups", "US imperialism, hands >off Kashmir", "Warmonger Clinton Go Back", the activists marched down >Barakhamba Road and Tolstoy Marg to Parliament Street. Blocked by layers of >police barricades and armed policemen, the activists continued shouting >slogans against US imperialism and the BJP Government, and then held a protest >meeting. > >The speakers condemned the BJP Government for betraying India's tradition of >anti-imperialist struggle by inviting the chieftain of the imperialist camp on >a state visit. They dwelt at length on the many instances of US imperialist >attacks on sovereign countries under the leadership of Bill Clinton leading to >death and misery of thousands of innocent men, women and children. Sanctions >on Iraq and Cuba leading to the death of 1.5 million Iraqi people, periodic >missile attacks on Iraq, threat of attack on North Korea to prevent its >nuclear programme, comprehensive bombardment of Yugoslavia violating >international law and aggravating the Kosovo crisis, missile attacks on >Afghanistan and Sudan, establishment of a military presence in East Timor >under the guise of UN peace-keeping, rape and murder of Somali civilians by US >'peace-keepers', overthrow of a democratically-elected Government in Haiti, >the expansion of NATO and its institutionalization as an instrument of US >imperialist intervention in Europe, the take-over of national assets of South >East Asian economies by US MNCs as part of structural adjustment following the >economic crisis, new imperialist and neo-colonial attacks on developing >countries by expanding the scope of the WTO; this bloody track record of the >Clinton Presidency was exposed by the speakers. > >The speakers also pointed out that the US imperialists under the Clinton >Presidency were repeatedly attempting to intervene in the Kashmir dispute >between India and Pakistan in the guise of peacemakers. But their track record >showed that such efforts always led to escalation of conflicts, sale of >armaments by imperialist nations to both sides and paved the way for US >military intervention in the end to advance their own economic and strategic >interests. > >Despite full knowledge of these US intentions, the BJP Government was >extending a red carpet welcome to Clinton. The speakers lashed out at the >propaganda doled out by the Government and the press that the Clinton visit >and closer relations with the US imperialists would benefit the people of >India. They pointed out that the US' motive behind the visit was two-fold: >one, to carry forward its design to make India a partner in global >monopolists' dominance and in its global military strategy and two, to gain >further entry into the Indian market. Through the Clinton visit, the BJP >Government was trying to serve the interests of the Indian capitalist class, >which is facing an acute crisis of lack of markets. The policies of economic >liberalization and free invitation to foreign capital have neither resulted in >the expansion of the domestic market nor have they created adequate export >markets. The BJP Government is furthering the aspirations of the Indian >capitalist class to become a junior partner of the US imperialists, and >thereby to gain some access to the world market by becoming a regional >super-power with US backing. There is thus a coincidence of interests of the >US imperialists, the Indian capitalist class and the Hindutva ideologues who >desire the creation of a Hindu empire spanning most of Asia. > >The speakers emphasised that the interests of the US imperialists, the Indian >capitalist class and the BJP Government, far from improving the lot of the >ordinary Indian people, would lead to further poverty and misery. The tie-up >with the imperialists would lead to further militarization, arms purchases, >and creation of war-psychosis and may even lead to war. The costs of all this >would be borne by the common people while the imperialists and the capitalists >would benefit. > >23rd March, the Martyrdom Day of Shheed Bhagat Singh was observed as >Anti-imperialist Day. A rally was organised by Azadi Bachao Andolan, a >platform in which the All India Anti-imperialist Forum participated along with >Jagriti Mahila Samity, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, National Alliance of >People's Movements and Swami Agnivesh. > > >CALCUTTA > > >A massive demonstration was organised by SUCI on 21st March. A huge >procession, well decorated with festoons and banners started from Raja Subodh >Mallik Square and went along S N Banerjee Road and J L Nehru Road to the >American Centre. The State Secretary and Central Committee member Comrade >Provash Ghosh and other members of the State Secretariat led the procession. >Four effigies of Clinton were burnt. Raising the slogan, 'Killer Clinton Go >Back' the demonstrators proceeded towards the American Consulate for handing >over a Memorandum to the officials. A large contingent of fully armed police >of the CPI(M)-led Left Front Government stopped them midway and turned on the >peaceful demonstrators and attacked them with batons and burst several rounds >of tear gas shells. 57 demonstrators were injured, some of them with severe >head injuries. . > >The All India Anti-imperialist Forum called a Citezens' Convention on 22nd >March at the Calcutta University Institute Hall to protest against Clinton's >visit. The audience, majority of them being the youth overflowed into the >surrounding streets. Their vibrant enthusiasm and steely determination were >clear enough evidence of the despise of the Indian people for Clinton's visit. >The meeting was presided over by the distinguished educationist Professor >Sunanda Sanyal. In his inaugural address Professor Sushil Kumar Mukherjee, >General Secretary of the All India Anti-imperialist Forum and former >Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University, said that the Indian Governement >was offering a red-carpet welcome to the Clinton merely to obtain some >concessions. But the hands that were to disburse the concessions were stained >with blood of millions of people. Imperialism enters the foreign soil in the >disguise of benevolent benefactor, but sooner or later bares its claws to >fleece the people to the bone. He expressed the hope that the reserve of force >reflected in the large audience would join ranks with fraternal forces of >different countries and would compel imperialism to bow down. Other speakers >included the veteran leader of the communist movement in the country Professor >Tarun Sanyal, Dr K. P. Ghosh, an ardent fighter in the democratic movement, >Dr. Bishnu Mukherjee an eminent physician, and Manik Mukherjee, >Vice-President, All India Anti-imperialist Forum. The speakers exposed the >sinister design behind Clinton's visit and expressed strong indignation at the >humiliating, subservient attitude of the Indian Government and their henchmen >towards Clinton. They presented a critical analysis of the acts and designs of >the BJP-led Government in extending this extra-cordial welcome to Clinton. A >Resolution protesting against Clinton's visit and the welcome extended to him >by the Indian Government was unanimously accepted by the house. > >On 23rd March, Saheed Bhagat Singh Martyrdom Day was observed as >Anti-imperialist Day by the All India Democratic Students' Organization which >called an All Bengal Students Strike to protest against Clinton's visit. A >demonstration was staged in front of the Calcutta University building and >afterwards the procession marched to Esplanade and burnt the effigy of >Clinton. > > >On 25th March two big processions under the banner of SUCI marched through the >streets of Calcutta chanting anti-imperilist slogans, demanding "Butcher >Clinton Go Back". One of the processions started from Raja Subodh Mallik >Square and proceeded towards Shyambazar in the northern part of the city, and >the other proceeded from Bhawanipur to Gariahat in South Calcutta. > > >TRIVANDRUM > > >ON 19TH March, the day of Clinton's arrival in India, SUCI organized an >exhibition entitled 'Killer Clinton Go Back' in front of the State >Secretariat, Trivandrum, Kerala. This exposed the countless evil deeds and war >crimes of the imperialists, particularly of the Clinton administration, >throughout the world. It also exposed the designs of the BJP-led Central >Government, which is moving hand-in-glove with the US imperislists to have a >greater penetration into the world market by the Indian monopolists and also >to establish India's unquestionable supremacy in this subcontinent. The >exhibition also vividly showed the rising tide of protest all over the world >against globalization, WTO and the war-monger Clinton's devilish deeds. This >exhibition was trampled upon and damaged by the Police of the CPI(M)-led State >Government. > >Kerala State Committee of SUCI observed 20th March as 'Black Day'. Boards, >banners, and black flags were displayed in different parts of the city. But >the Police of the CPI(M)-led Governent removed them in a systematic operation >under cover of darkness. > >On 21st March hundreds of SUCI workers marched through the main streets of >Trivandrum raising the slogan 'Killer Clinton Go Back' and carrying the effigy >of this hated war criminal for burning. Party State Secretary Comrade C. K. >Lukose and other members of the Secretariat led the demonstration. The >demonstration culminated in front of the Government Secretariat where >Clinton's effigy was burnt. Comrade Lukos addressed the rally and analysed the >political issues related to Clinton's visit. He exhorted that it is the duty >of every well-meaning person to check and defeat this imperialist fascist >conspiracy. > > >CHENNAI > >A protest demonstration was held on March 21 at Valluvar Kottam, Chennai, >Tamilnadu, about 2 km away from the US Consulate. The police blocked their way >and prevented the demonstrators from burning Clinton's effigy. The >demonstrators shouted slogans and symbolically stamped on the cut-out of >Clinton. __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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