CPM leaders manhandled by police

The police caned CPI (M) workers in Nelloor district of Andhra Pradesh, who were protesting in front of the district collectorate against the forceful removal of CPI(M) leaders who were on an indefinite fast near Gandhi statue during the early hours of Friday. Some party leaders sustained injuries in the lathi charge.

Non-bailable cases have been filed against 23 including eight women for trespassing into the Collectorate. The leaders of CPI (M) and its mass organisations had launched an indefinite fast five days ago, demanding house sites, permanent houses, pensions and ration cards to the eligible. The fasting leaders include CITU town secretary, Mr K. Ajaykumar, DYFI town secretary, Mr Nageswar Rao, Sramika Mahila district secretary, Ms S.K. Rahena Begum, and Girijan Sangam district president, Mr B.L. Sekhar.

They demanded an assurance from higher authorities to call of their agitation on Thursday. The CPI (M) leaders warned that they would intensify the stir if officials failed to talk to them before Friday afternoon. Although Nellore tahsildar, Mr Bhaktavatsala Reddy, spoke to them on Thursday night, they were not happy since they expected the intervention of higher authorities.

Irked by the police highhandedness, a large number of party men assembled at Gandhi statue and took out a rally to stag-ed a dharna before the Collectorate . The police chased them and arrested 35 of them including party district-level leaders.

Cases have been filed  against leaders, Mr Mohan Rao, former deputy mayor, Mr Madala Venkateswarlu, former corporator, Mr Katti Srinivasulu, Mr Pulimi Sridhar, Mr Suryanarayana, Ms Arigala Ramamma and Ms Annapoornamma, among others.

Meanwhile the fasting leaders, who have been shifted to the government headquarters hospital, are being treated there.

Countrywide Protests against Obamas visit on November 8

The Left parties – the CPI(M), CPI, AIFB and RSP -- have issued the following statement:

The President of the United States, Barack Obama is visiting India. Being the first Afro-American President and coming after the neo-conservative Bush regime, there were expectations of positive changes. These, however, have not materialized.

On this occasion, the Left parties have decided to organise a countrywide day of protest on November 8, 2010. The United States, as part of its global hegemonic designs, is pursuing policies which are inimical to the national sovereignty and the people’s interests of many countries. As far as India is concerned, the United States is aggressively pressurising the government to adopt economic policies which are detrimental to the people in the name of a strategic alliance.

Contrary to the official view of the ruling establishment regarding the role being played by the United States, both globally and vis a vis India, the Left parties would like to convey the views of the vast mass of the people of India.

The Left parties will highlight the following issues on the protest being organised on November 8:

1. Justice for the victims of the Bhopal Gas accident; to make Dow Chemicals pay for the damages and for the clean up of the factory site; US should extradite Warren Anderson to India to stand trial.

2. The United States should stop pressurizing India on foreign policy and to open up agriculture, retail trade, education and other services for American capital and multinational companies.

3. Scrap the Indo-US Defence Framework Agreement which seeks to convert India into a military ally of the United States. Stop pressurizing India to give up liability claims on US nuclear suppliers.

4. Withdraw the remaining 50,000 US troops in Iraq forthwith; have a political settlement in Afghanistan to establish an independent and neutral state and withdraw US-Nato forces immediately.

5. End the US embargo on Cuba; stop all assistance to Israel till it vacates the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories.

The Left parties call upon all its units to organise demonstrations and rallies on the above demands on November 8.