ANDHRA PRADESH

Left Parties Condemn US Imperialist War Hysteria

M  Venugopala Rao

A CONVENTION of the nine Left parties, including the CPI(M) and the CPI,  appealed to the progressive and democratic parties, forces and all peace-loving people to build a strong movement for peace and against war in our country too.  The convention, held at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Hyderabad on January 25, in a  resolution passed unanimously,  strongly condemned the American imperialist war hysteria and  its attempts and preparations for waging war against Iraq.  Regretting that the governments at the centre and in the state have so far  failed to make their stand against the US war hysteria clear, the convention demanded both the governments to take a strong and definite stand against war, respecting the anti-imperialist traditions of the people of our country. The convention requested both the governments to take all steps to stop the American war against Iraq. 

In the American war against Iraq in 1991, about 10 lakh people lost their lives.  Even now many people in Iraq are dying, as a result of the continuing effect of radiation caused by the bombs dropped by the USA. The convention expressed serious concern over the disastrous consequences that would follow, if the US wages another war against Iraq now.  If war takes place, the oil prices in our country would skyrocket.  As a result of its impact on the prices of gas, kerosene and petrol, more burdens would be imposed on the poor and our economy would be engulfed in a more severe crisis.  The non-resident Indians in the Gulf would face serious difficulties.  Moreover, there would be every danger of our foreign exchange reserves getting depleted on a large scale.  The convention noted that the main aim of the US was to control the valuable oil deposits in Iraq. It  also noted the opposition to military action against Iraq from France, Germany and several other countries, and the massive protest demonstrations across the world, including the US as well, against war.

MCPI leader M Omkar presided over the convention. Addressing the convention, B V Raghavulu, secretary of the state committee of the CPI(M),  found fault with the chief minister, Chandrababu Naidu, for not saying  a word against war while participating in the meet of the World Economic Forum at Davos.  He asked the Telugu Desam Party and the communal BJP to raise their voice against war.  Raghavulu stressed upon the need for building a broader movement against war, bringing together all those who oppose war.  S Sudhakar Reddy,  secretary of state council of the CPI, said the third world countries could not safeguard their sovereignty and independence if the US war hysteria was not stopped.  US did not want any opposition to it in the uni-polar world and that was the reason why it was attempting to wage war against Iraq, he said. Syed Vikaruddin, editor of the Urdu daily Rehnuma-e-Deccan, asked the government of India to send special delegations to Washington and London to convey the feelings of the Indian people who opposed war and to pass a resolution in the Parliament denouncing the preparations of the US to wage war against Iraq.

Senior lawyer, K Prathap Reddy, V Venkatramaiah of CPI(ML) New Democracy, G Vijay Kumar of CPI(ML) Unity Initiative, N Murthy of CPI(ML) Liberation,  Chandram of CPI(ML) Janasakti, Sridhar of SUCI and K Venkateswara Rao of ML Committee addressed the convention.  Y Venkateswara Rao, member of the secretariat of the state committee of the CPI(M), welcomed the speakers and C Satyam, assistant secretary of the city council of the CPI, proposed a vote of thanks.

Earlier on January 18, denouncing the American warmongering, seven Left parties burnt effigies of the US president George W Bush and another representing the US imperialism at several centres throughout the state. In Hyderabad, the Left parties burnt the effigy of warmonger Bush at the statue of Babu Jagjivan Ram.  B V Raghavulu, K Narayana, assistant secretary of the state council of the CPI, Sridhar, G Vijay Kumar and MCPI leader B N Reddy, addressed the gathering on this occasion.