People's Democracy

Massive Anti-Imperialist

Rally in Kolkata

From Our Special Correspondent in Kolkata

KOLKATA witnessed yet another historic rally with hundreds of thousands of people marching against imperialist aggression and protesting the growing intervention of US imperialism in India. The rally, held on September 1, was organised by the Left Front.

People, mostly from the districts of South Bengal, participated with full of enthusiasm to mark their protest against US aggression and to commemorate the Anti-Imperialist Day of 1st September. The state leaders of Left Front led the rally that started at 1 pm from Rani Rashmoni Road. It took more than two and half hours for the rally to reach Deshbandhu Park, even as the end part of the rally was still waiting at Rani Rashmoni Road. The rally was fully decorated with flags, festoons, and most importantly the mobile tableaus that remained the most attractive part of the rally.   It was exactly 4:30 pm when the last tableau along with people reached Deshbandhu Park in the northern end of the city. People from all walks of life participated in the rally. Thousands marched with Red flags, once again registering the nature of protest in West Bengal.  

The rally raised voice against US imperialism’s thirst for natural resources in the world, its war crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, its interference in South Asia, particularly in Indian economy through FDI in retail sector, privatisation of insurance sector, pension funds etc. The rally raised the voice for defending sovereignty and independent foreign policy of the country.

Addressing the huge gathering at the end of the rally, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee gave a backdrop of US imperialism to correlate the magnitude of the contemporary imperialist aggression in the world. Having mentioned the Atom Bomb attack over Hiroshima and Nagasaki as a birth of today’s US-led imperialism, Bhattacharjee explained the contours of imperialist aggression from Vietnam to present day Iraq. Now the danger of imperialism comes in a different direction when US and allied countries target China and try to set base in India. We won’t tolerate US base in India to blockade India and would launch bigger protests, he said.

Bhattacharjee said that India is trying to set up a strategic partnership or alliance with USA. “What strategic alliance is this? We will protest against any such alliance. US secretary of state Hillary Clinton had made her visit to West Bengal. It was unprecedented for her to visit Writers’ Buildings?  Why did she go there”, he questioned. The state government has also expressed its inclination to invite US president for the youth festival in the state. Bhattacharjee warned of strong resistance if any such eventuality took place.

Left Front chairman Biman Basu while congratulating the people for making the rally a great success said that US corporates are using our markets to meet their internal crisis. “They are trying to control our economy. So we must keep our struggle on against such imperialist aggression. If any of US official comes to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda on 12th January next year, the state will definitely revolt”, asserted Basu.

Siliguri too witnessed an impressive anti-imperialist rally on the day where at least 10,000 people participated.