ANDHRA PRADESH

Widespread Protests Mark Bush’s Visit To Hyderabad

M Venugopala Rao

THE visit of the American President George W. Bush to the capital city of Andhra Pradesh was marked by widespread protests of the Left parties, mass organisations and other people, on the one hand, and official reception and send off by the government, on the other. A massive rally was taken out by the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation and CPI(ML) Committee on March 3 protesting the visit of Bush. Led by the leaders of these parties, carrying a big banner with a slogan “Bush Go Back”, the rally started from Sundarayya Vignana Kendram and culminated into a public meeting at Indira Park. With red flags and banners of the  four Left parties and mass organisations fluttering, raising resounding slogans against the visit of Bush and imperialism, singing and dancing, the rallyists marched forward, attracting the attention of the onlookers enroute.  Several people donned the attire of  George Bush, exposing the designs of  the rapacious imperialism to bring  the entire world under its hegemony. It is interesting to note that two Americans, Henry from New York and Rebeca Cardora from Texas, having learnt about the protest rally in Hyderabad through media reports, came all the way from Chennai and participated in the rally, carrying posters condemning Bush as the world’s No 1 terrorist and war criminal. Eminent educationist Chukka Ramaiah also participated in the rally.

Addressing the public meeting, leaders of the Left parties and other organisations appealed to the people to continue the fight against imperialism relentlessly. State secretary and Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M) B V Raghavulu expressed serious concern that it would be dangerous to our country to allow the USA and international agencies to inspect 14 of 20 of our nuclear sites. He criticised that the American ambassador in India, David Mulford, was acting as if he were a super Prime Minister in the country. Raghavulu cautioned that the dangerous agreements on agriculture that India had with the USA, if implemented, might intensify the trend of farmers committing suicide in the state.  Having killed lakhs of people in Afghanistan and Iraq, Bush is now working out a strategy to wage war on Iran. If any attack on Iran by the USA is supported, the prices of natural gas would increase and we would be at a loss, Raghavulu said. CPI National Council secretary S Sudhakar Reddy questioned the need for a nuclear deal with the USA when the latter was supporting Pakistan, whose animosity to India was existing on the issue of Kashmir.  He said there was every necessity to set up a court with the initiative of the United Nations for trial of Bush for all his atrocities. Though the USA was thinking of suppressing Communism and continue its hegemony over the world, the people have been opposing it and they elected the Communists and Socialists in eight countries in Latin America to assume power, Sudhakar Reddy explained.

State secretary of the CPI, Dr K Narayana, cautioned that the US was trying to impose its hegemony in the economic and political affairs of our country and that it would endanger our self-reliance.   Y Venkateswara Rao, state secretariat member of the CPI(M), lashed out at the RSS and VHP for welcoming the visit of Bush while continuing their chant of swadeshi. President of PUCL K G Kannabiran said human rights of the people of the world  would not be safe as long as imperialism continued to exist. CPI(ML) Liberation leader Murthy, ML Committee leader Venkateswarlu, noted poet Jwalamukhi, vice president of AIDWA S Punyavathy, and general secretary of AP Mahila Samakhya Prem Pavani addressed the public meeting.

Wearing T-shirts with the slogan “Bush Go Back”, MLAs of the CPI(M) and CPI entered the legislative Assembly raising the same slogan. Drawing the attention of the House, they insisted on taking up the adjournment motions protesting the visit of Bush for discussion for which they had given notices. Protest rallies and burning of effigies of Bush all over the state coincided with the visit of the American President to Hyderabad.  In Hyderabad old city, on the call given by the Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) and some other religious organisations, bandh was observed protesting the visit of Bush.  Raising slogans against Bush, defying ban imposed by the police, people released thousands of black balloons into air with anti-Bush slogans on them.

Earlier, campaign collecting signatures, burning effigies, exhibitions of cartoons and photographs, literary meetings and rallies were organised protesting Bush's visit.  On February 27, the CPI (M), CPI, CPI (ML) and CPI (ML) Liberation organised a campaign of signature collection at RTC x Roads in Hyderabad. Several leaders of political parties and mass organisations, senior journalists, other prominent people and the general public signed on a big banner with the slogan 'George Bush go back.' Freedom fighters Parsa Satyanarayana, K L Mahendra, K Krishnamurthy, president of People’s Union for Civil Liberties K G Kannabiran, veteran journalist V Hanumantha Rao, editor of Rehnuma e Deccan Syed Vicaruddin, editor of Prajasakti S Vinaya Kumar, editor of Prasthanam Telakapalli Ravi, poet Jwalamukhi, CITU state leaders R Sudha Bhaskar, S Veeraiah, S Punyavathy, Siddaiah, CPI leaders Aziz Pasha, T Lakshminarayana, Ramakrishna, MLA P Venkat Reddy, AIDWA state president Jyothi, secretary of A P Agricultural Workers’Union B Venkat and others signed on the banner, protesting Bush’s visit.

Signature campaigns were also organised in Nellore, Srikakulam and other places and effigy of Bush was burnt at Godavarikhani.

Poets and artists gave a call to the people to protest the warmonger Bush’s visit. Nearly 30 poets and men and women of letters participated in the programme titled 'Pratighatana' (resistance) organised at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram on the 28^th February and recited their poems exposing the rapacious imperialism and the need to fight against it.  Their recitals received great applause from the audience. While Telakapalli Ravi acted as the co-ordinator of the programme, prominent poets K Sivareddy, Jwalamukhi, Nikhileswar, A Rammohan Rao and Sikhamani addressed the meeting. An exhibition of cartoons and photographs against imperialism was organised on the occasion.