Volume 4, No. 6, June 2003

While the BJP-led government feared to raise a word against the US on the Iraq war people demonstrated in thousands, and the call to boycott US and British goods was growing into a veritable movement. While the media blocked out most of these reports, some have filtered through to the People’s March Office. Yet what is reported here is only a sample of what has been taking place throughout the country.

Yet, let it be remembered that during this war the only force to openly back the US was Togadia’s VHP. Obviously their ‘nationalism’ is worn on their sleeves; for, to welcome the aggression on a small backward country by the US, opens the door to aggression anywhere in the world, including India. No wonder the VHP is totally silent against the aggressive offensive of foreign capital on our country, and the regular arrival of US military forces on our soil. Besides, their rabid anti-Islamism helps the US intervention here, as it deflects from the real content of genuine patriotism — i.e. anti-imperialism.

Let us then take a look around the country of the people’s protests.

West Bengal has a long and glorious history of Anti- Imperialist movements. At the time of the second World War West Bengal people built the Anti-fascist forum to mobilise the people against fascism and expressed their solidarity to the resistance struggle of the people of Soviet Russia under the leadership of Comrade Stalin. At the time of the Vietnam war also, the people of West Bengal, particularly the students and youth expressed their extreme anger against the US imperialists.

This time also people of West Bengal mobilised a large number to protests against the war. One all India Committee was built up comprising 37 democratic organi-sations. The name of this committee was the "Committee against war on Iraq(CAWI)." From 15th March to 29th March the CAWI did a massive propaganda all over West Bengal and other parts of India. Particularly in greater Kolkatta massive propaganda was done. Thousands of posters were pasted, thousands of handbills were distributed among the masses. Many street corner meetings and small rallies were organised by the committee. Particularly in Central Kolkatta, North Kolkatta, North 24 th Parganas, South 24th Parganas, Hoogly, Nadia, Mursidabad many street corner meeting, street drama and other forms of propaganda had been organised.

On 29th March a big and colourfull rally of ten thousands people demonstrated in front of US Consulate of Kolkatta . Rally was started from College Street. Raj Kishore Singh, Darshan Pal Singh, Amitduti Kumar, Shukhendu Bhattacharyee, Shaymal Nandi were the speakers of this rally. Cultural teams from Punjab, Haryana and Bihar presented their cultural performances. Many democratic artists and painters participated in the rally. A big effigy of G. W Bush was burnt by the demonstrators.

Before starting the march, a public meeting was organized at the College Square, which was addressed by many prominent anti imperialist individuals and the representatives of mass organizations. Of the speakers, Nithish Bhattacharya, one of the leaders of the CPI (ML) in the 1970s, Kanchan Kumar, writer and the representative of the All India League for Revolutionary Culture (AILRC), Naveen Prasad of the MKSP, Bihar were the main.

The rally, started from College Square at 2 p.m., marched through the main streets of the city and reached the American Centre at 4 p.m. Throughout the 2 hours rally, slogans like, "Stop War on Iraq", "No Blood for Oil", "No More Deaths for Hegemony", "Down with Imperialism", Boycott the Goods of US MNCs", "World’s No 1 Terrorists: Bush and Blair" etc, reverberated through the streets of Kolkata. The protesters carried thousands of posters proclaiming similar slogans.  

Just as the rally was about to reach the American Centre, the police of the so-called left government stopped the protesters. The organizers decided to hold one more public meeting on the road itself. Asit Ghosh, Raj Kishore of the Struggling Forum for Peoples Resistance (SFPR) and Darshan Pal of All India Peoples Resistance Forum (AIPRF) addressed this public meeting. All the speakers while delivering their speeches strongly condemned the US led war on the Iraqi people. They exposed the Indian government for its dual policy about the war. They called upon the people to boycott American and British goods.  

Even small children wearing red dresses participated in the rally. Many cultural troops preformed very impressive cultural programmes having the theme of the anti-US led war on Iraq. At the end of the programme, a big effigy of Bush and the flags of both America and Britain were set ablaze.  

Even before the initiation of the war of aggression on Iraq, the protests against it, as in the rest of the India and the world, went on in West Bengal. Altogether 13 parties and organizations, including CPI (M-L) New Democracy, CPI (M-L) Unity Initiative, CPI(M-L) Janshakti, CPI (M-L) Liberation, Struggling Forum For People’s Resistance (SFPR), Shramik Sangram Committee and others, organized a protest march before the American Centre, in Kolkata on 19th Dec’2002. AIPRF and some other organizations also took part as invitees. Several hundred people with colourful banners and placards marched through the main roads of Kolkata City. It started from Subodh Mallick Square which was blocked ahead of the American Center by the West Bengal police. Protestors raised slogans, such as "No War at the Cost of Blood" " No War For Oil ", " Down with Global Terrorists – Bush & Blair" etc.

Also numerous smaller actions took place throughout the State: like the ransacking of the Nike showroom and a branch of the City Bank; etc

Below we print a part of a resolution passed by the teachers of Jadhavpur University: ‘This meeting of the Faculty Council in Arts, Jadavpur University, held on 27-3-03 notes with deep anguish and concern the fact that the USA,UK and other allied powers have waged one of the most unjust, barbaric and aggressive wars of modern times against the people of Iraq and the sovereignty of that country. By do doing, they have trampled underfoot all democratic norms and made a mockery of the United Nations as an organi-sation. This war has already caused tremendous loss of human lives, destruction of property and damage to environment.

The absolutely unjust nature of the aggression by US and allied forces against Iraq has led to protests in various parts of Maharashtra, specially the capital city of Mumbai. As the situation was hotting up various Muslim organisations began actively mobilising to oppose the war. On the 7th of March, 50,000 people, overwhelmingly Muslim, gathered at the Azad Maidan to vent their opposition and protest against the war. After the war began various organisations together and separately demonstrated at public places to express their opposition to the war.

A coalition called Protest Against War was formed which organised the first major public meeting against the war. The meeting organised in the central district of the city on 27th March got a response from even the elite sections of the people. Almost a 1000 people including High Court lawyers, senior journalists, university teachers could be seen along with activists of various democratic organisations and trade unions attending the meeting whish concluded with a resolution demanding that the US immediately stop the war and withdraw its troops from Iraq. A Front against War and Terrorism formed by various trade unions planned a demonstration on 4th April. Various political parties like the Samajwadi Party, and even the Congress decided to join this protest. Of course, by clubbing ‘terrorism’ with the anti-war call, the focus was diffused — an inevitable result of ruling class parties being in the lead.

The People Against War decided to organise a rally, which would culminate in a demonstration at Azad Maidan. Indeed the rally turned out to be an outpouring of spontaneous protest with organisations and individuals bringing their own banners, posters, effigies, cut-outs of Macdonald etc. Women, artists, youth, lawyers, lecturers, journalists and students were all part of the spirited rally that wound its way through Hutatma Chowk stopping to demonstrate outside the Macdonald outlet to the maidan (grounds), finally to become part of the "sea of humanity" as one newspaper put it. Over 30,000 had gathered to raise their voice against this aggression. The youth and workers enthusiastically kicked the various effigies around before consigning them to flames. Others went around singing songs and protesting in the meeting and the roads near the maidan. Ruling class political parties, especially the Samajwadi and Congress dominated the stage trying to gain maximum political mileage from this protest demonstration. Yet it was clear that for once they were not the centre of attention, and this was, after many years, a protest by the masses themselves on an international issues. Revolutionary forces too were conspicuous in this demonstration and rally with their pamphlets and handbills

On 25 March, 2003 hundreds of teachers, students, and non-teaching staff demonstrated against the on-going US war of aggression on Iraq in the campus of University of Delhi under a network launched a few days earlier, called the UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY AGAINST THE WAR ON IRAQ.

The protest demonstration started at 11.30 am, at the Arts Faculty in front of the Central Reference Library and for about one and a half hours there were anti war songs sung by various student teams. The gathering at the demonstration was addressed by prominent democratic teachers like Prof. Sumit Sarkar, Prof. Manorajan Mohanty. Dr.Badri Rain and Sunil, a student leader of the Democratic students Union (DSU) read poems against the US War. The speakers expressed solidarity to the people of Iraq who are boldly putting up resistance to the American invaders for their sovereignty. All condemned the US aggressive imperialist war on Iraq and told the audience to intensify the anti-war movement in India.

The rally went around the campuses, through various colleges, and the demonstration ended back at the arts faculty by taking a decision to take many more protests by contacting other University campuses in Delhi. Members of the Democratic Students Union (DSU) burnt the US flag as the rally started off. Many Student organisations like AISA, PSU, AIDSO etc., participated with anti America slogans, songs and posters and placards. Organisations like Forum for Democracy, All India Peoples Resistance Forum (AIPRF) also participated in the rally.

The demonstration commended the admirable resistance with which the people of Iraq fought American imperialist Aggression.

Earlier too numerous demonstrations and protests had taken place throughout the city.

The "Campaign Against American Attack on Iraq" continued its daily sit in at Jantar Mantar for four days culminating on March 15, the day of the international call against war. On that day slogans and songs against war were raised, and a mass meeting was held which was addressed by representatives of various constituent organisations. The campaign also condemned the role of the Indian government stating that it had refused to move a parliamentary resolution against the impending American attack.

On March 31, to protest against the war on Iraq, under the single banner of the "Committee Against the War on Iraq" thousands of people, irrespective of organisational affiliations, marched from Dangal Park in front of the Red Fort. The procession went through Chandni Chowk and Ajmal Khan Road and ended at Tikona Park where statements condemning the war and demanding peace were read out in Hindstani and English followed by a cultural programme featuring songs, plays and poems by prominent artistes and groups. Effigies of Bush and Blair were burnt.

On 26th January a protest was organized jointly by AIPRF, SFPR and DSU against the conspiracy of the US war on Iraq, at Patna on 26th January 2003. The "march" started from J.P Golambar with colourful posters and banners. Slogans against the US war design is on Iraq were raised and leaflets distributed on the way. The American flag was burnt at Dak Bangla Chowk. A man moving ahead of the march in the guise of Bush was being thrashed throughout by one section of the protestors.

On 4th March the Jan Abhiyan, Bihar — a joint forum of 12 democratic organizations, organized an open convention against the war on Iraq at Patna Junction. It was attended by several hundred delegates, invitees and general people from different walks of life. On 21st March the Jan Abhiyan, Bihar, a common platform of 12 democratic and revolutionary organizations, organized a protest march against the US attack on Iraq. About 100 people, including the members of participating organizations and intellectuals took part in the march. It started from the Radio Station and turned into a meeting at Patna Junction

POTA Virodhi Jan Morcha of Jharkhand organized a protest march and open convention against war on Iraq on 3rd March 2003 at Ranchi. More than a hundred people belonging to participating organizations took part in the programme. The protest march started from Survey Maidan with banners and placards. It again returned to the same place raising slogans like "We want peace, not War", "We want bread, not Bomb", "No War for Oil", etc. While a cultural activist, Amitab, was singing songs during the programme, he was targeted by the Special Police Force of the SSP, Ranchi. He was deceitfully called and forcefully picked up in a car without any number plate. The organizers of the programme soon rushed to the control room of Ranchi Police, and the office of the SSP. Amitab was found there being interrogated by the SSP himself. When the organizers questioned the illegal lifting of Amitab by the police, the SSP became angry. He even misbehaved with some of the respected social activists of Ranchi. But the SSP had to release Amitab after 9 pm, due to the resistance of the people and of the several political forces and parties.

When the US started the attack on Iraq, different organizations of Jharkhand had a meeting in Ranchi and formed a "Yudh Virodhi Manch" (Forum Against War) to oppose the unjust war. Several organizations, including the AIPRF, JPSM, HJKD, PUCL, IPTA, and others became the constituents of the Forum. Under the banner of this forum, a Human Chain was formed on the roads of Ranchi on 22nd March 2003. About 1000 people including school and college students took part in the programme with great enthusiasm. They held banners and placards opposing the US attack on Iraq. They also raised slogans demanding the immediate retreat of US led imperialist forces from Iraq. The programme, to a great extent, created an anti-war consciousness among the students and general masses.

Thousands of the people from Bihar and Jharkhand traveled more than 500 k.m to participate in the Kolkata rally. The Special armed forces of the centre and states harassed the masses. While large sections attended the rally, a considerable section was cordoned at various Rly, stations of Bihar/Jharkhand particularly Gaya, Ghadwah etc.

Apart from this, the police started arrests in the vast rural and forest belt of Lathehar, Lohardhaga, Palamu, Ghadwah, Chatra etc, districts after the rally. To condemn the arrests of the masses of these areas, and the war of aggression on Iraq a bandh call was given by the leading revolutionary parties of these two states. Hundreds were arrested and tortured and implicated in false cases.

To counter the situation the MCCI and CPI (M.L) [PEOPLES’WAR] initiated a bandh call jointly on 2nd April, which was successfully observed in both the states. Before going to Kolkata a number of processions were organized in the villages. Due to repression rallies and mass meetings were organized in the nights. For the bandh call also propaganda was taken, and after this till 14 April rallies marched in jungles of Jharkhand to awaken the people against the plunders of imperialism on the Globe.

In Ludhiana, as a part of this global resistance, an anti-war convention was held in early January under the banner of the Forum Against Imperialist Globalisation (FAIG). Having completed the convention a protest march was taken out.

On 30th of January once again anti-war demonstrations and rallies were held at the district headquarters at more than 8 places. People from various corners registered their strong protest against the impending war on the people of Iraq.

On 20th March, soon after the US led forces began to invade Iraq, an anti-war convention was organised at the Punjab University, Patiala. Prominent intellectuals and social activists addressed the convention. The programme was organised by the Progressive Students Forum.

On the same day, three more protest programmes were held in Lehra Gaga, Jagraon and Bhatinda towns. Hundreds of activists from different mass organizations, under the banner of the front, participated in these programmes. An effigy of Bush and flags of the U.S.A. were set ablaze. In Jagraon the employees of the Electricity board held a protest anti-war rally. In Bathinda a protest rally and Torchlight March was taken out under the banner of the Front Against War on Iraq.

On 22nd March protest marches and public meetings were held with road blocks at certain places along with the burning of effigies of Bush-Blair and the US flag at the following Sub Division and district head quarters: Patiala, Rampura, Khatkar Kalan (The birth place of Shaheed Bhagat Singh), Barnala, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Bilaspur, Gurdaspur {this programme was held jointly by the AIPRF, New Democracy and CPI(M) (Pasla)}

23rd March, Bhagat Singh’s Martyrdom day was observed as Anti-War Protest day. Many mass protest rallies, road blockades, and the burning of effigies of Bush and Blair and the flags of the US and Britain, were held throughout Punjab. Of these, protests held at Hoshiarpur, Bhunga, Hussainiwala (the place where the dead bodies of the Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukdev had been found burnt), Talwandi Salem (the birth place of Avtar Singh Paash), Lehra Gaga, Sangrur, Patiala are some of the major places where people in large numbers took part.

A joint demonstration against war on Iraq was organized at Allahabad on 15th Feb 2003. About 400 people belonging to the AIPRF, CPI (M-L) New Democracy, CPI (M-L) Liberation, CPI, CPM, PUCL, Socialist Front, Stri Adhikar Sangathan, Rajya-Kendra Karamchari Samanway Samiti and other organizations took part in the demonstration. Several intellectuals and civil right activists also participated in the programmes. People raised slogans against US imperialism and the submissive role of the Indian government throughout the demonstration. At the end of the programme an effigy of Bush was also burnt.

Since the unjust US led war on Iraq was about to be started, the people started registering their strong protest against it. As per the call given by Forum Against Imperialist Globalisation (FAIG) Haryana, anti-war demonstrations were taken out in many parts of the state.

On 8th February a protest demonstration of more than hundred people was taken out to the Panipat district headquarters. Slogans like "Stop US war on Iraq", "Don’t spill blood for oil", "Down with US war mongering" etc. rendered the air. Also the US and British flags were burnt on the occasion by the Nawjawan Bharat Sabha a constituent of FAIG.

Similar protest demonstrations were held in many places of Yamunanagar district particularly by Jagrook Chatra Morcha (JCM), a student organisation and Disha, a cultural organisation. Amidst slogan shouting, denouncing American war mongering and hegemony, the American Flag was burnt. In the evening a public meeting was held in Vijay Colony where more than two hundred people turned out .The speakers dealt upon the American imperialist design and its war mongering postures.

In Kaithal district, students came to the streets under the leadership of the JCM and took out a protest march against the US war on Iraq. The effigy of Bush along with the American flag was set ablaze.

In Narwana, Najwan Dasta organised a protest march in the town against the impending war on Iraq.

On the 17th of March, people under the leadership of the Jagruk Chatra Morcha (JCM), a student organisation and Naujavan Dasta burnt American goods at Narwana. On 20th a protest march was organised in Rohtak, Narnaul, and Rewari. On the same day JCM organised a road blockade protest in Kurukshestra. American flags were burnt during the protest. On the 22nd a cultural programme, having an anti-war content, was organised by Disha Sanskartik Manch, a cultural organisation, in Ismilabad and Yamunanagar. People in big numbers attended the programme.

Students observed 72nd Martyr’s Day of Shaheed Bhagatsingh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru as Anti-War Day in Gujarat. An effigy of Bush was burnt at Ahmedabad. The all India Democratic Students’ Organisation (All India D.S.O.) observed the day in a befitting manner as "Anti War Day" in the premises of Gujarat University. A large number of University Students joined the programme enthusiastically. As a continuation of the anti-imperialist tradition of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Rajguru and Sukhdev, who fought during the freedom struggle of India against British Imperialism, students staged a very spirited demonstration against the US war on Iraq holding placards, posters, shouting slogans like "Down Down U.S. Imperialism", "Hands off Iraq", etc. An effigy of Bush was hanged and then burnt. Slogans like "Long live revolution"," Long-Live Students Unity"," Long-Live world peace were shouted towards the completion of the program.

In Hyderabad, the All India Peoples Resistance Forum (AIPRF), held a public meeting on 9th February 2003, against the US war on Iraq. The public meeting was held in the old city of Hyderabad, which was presided by Mr. G. Ramdev, Joint Secretary of AIPRF, A.P. committee. Many intellectuals from Hyderabad have addressed the gathering. These included the Famous poet Jwalamukhi, Ms. Ratnamala, President of APCLC, the president of POW, Mrs.Sandhya, Mr. Bhoomaiah of Telangana Jana Sabha (TJS), etc.

On March 30, left parties, minority organisation and other anti-war forces organised a massive anti-war rally at Hyderabad with more than 15,000 people participating.

Hyderabad and Secunderabad’s twin cities committee of the All India Peoples Resistance Forum (AIPRF), organised a Protest Programme DHARNA on 31 March 2003, at Baghlimgampally Park, Hyderabad from 10.30 AM to 2.30 PM against the Imperialist aggressive war on Iraq. The Dharna was presided by the twin cities secretary Ramu.

Remote forest villages of Bastar, where the CPI (ML) [PW] was concentrating to build the guerrilla bases as a part of the Liberated Area virtually turned as a center for political propaganda to arouse the anti imperialist consciousness of the masses. When the preparations for the war started by the US and UK, then onwards the DAKMS and KAMS range committees initiated a propaganda campaign against the war of aggression. Range committee members assembled the people in every village and explained to the people regarding the nature of the war.

18 propaganda squads were formed for this campaign. Regular units of the PGA of the People’s War Party too involved the masses in a month long programmes. The form of mobilization was like, burning the effigies of Bush, posters, torch-light processions in the nights, group meetings and gathering of 5 to 10 villages’ people in one center. 400 villages of South Basrar were covered in the first phase of the campaign. Kunta to Pamedu all the range centers were covered in the anti-imperialist propaganda

500 to 1500 people participated in such gatherings. All the village folk children, men and women of various age groups attended the meetings and tried there level best to understand the International developments. One aspect they clearly understood that US imperialism is against the interests of the world people and the reasons, which were showned by Bush and his war strategists, are lies. This is a war of aggression by the American govt, to loot the wealth of the Iraq. In India too imperialists are playing the same role and the govt of India is mortgaging the interests of the masses.

The CPI (ML) [PEOPLE’S WAR] Dandakaranya special zonal committee issued a bandh call in protest of the war and bombardment of Baghdad. On April 2nd all the roads leading to South Bastar, West Bastar, North Bastar and the Abhujmad [Special organizational divisions made by the PW party.] of Chattishgharh state and Gadchiroli district of Maharastra state stopped vehicular movement. And almost 2000 villages participated in the Bandh. The Party issued a boycott of the US and UK goods.

Besides these, protests have been taking place all over the country. So, in Karnataka, anti-war rallies took place in a large number of places in the State. On 29th a big rally of many thousands of people was organised at the initiative of left and democratic forces at Raichur, northern Karnataka. A large number of rallies have already taken place in all districts of Kerala. As a part of anti-war movement Coca and Pepsi depots were attacked and damaged. The movement has been gaining momentum. Even in a place like Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, over 3,500 participated in an anti-war rally. As most of such events are never covered by the national dailies, the widespread resentment against the US is not clearly seen. So many more protests would have taken place, which we are unable to cover here.

The protests initiated in the wake of the Iraq war should be an ongoing process, as the US war machine is not going to stop with Iraq. It is only a step in its geo-political plan for world hegemony. Its aggressive designs on India are also evident; only because of a pliable government this is not overtly evident. US military forces are now regularly present in the country in the name of training programmes, and joint military practices are a regular feature between the army, naval and air forces of both countries. Even at the diplomatic level, inspite of the disgusting servility of the BJP-led government’s and its total implementation of the imperialist-dictated ‘economic reforms’, the US has once again put India on the 301-watch list, threatening sanctions (May 2, 03). At each step they demand greater and greater capitulation.

So, the anti-war movement should not end with the conclusion of the Iraq war. Moreover, it must be linked to the struggle against the offensive of imperialist (particularly US) finance capital in our country. Afterall, what has been achieved in Iraq at one shot, is being achieved gradually, stepwise and ‘peacefully’ in India. That is why the anti-war/anti-globalisation movement must pick up steam. The call to boycott US and British goods should turn into a mass upsurge. Symbols of US imperialism should be smashed, their advertisements blacked out, their goods and services boycotted, their ‘Indian’ agents socially ostracised, their top executives and ‘experts’ chased out of the country, and their military, intelligence, and other fifth column personnel hounded out of our country. In addition we must fight back all attempts at pushing through further economic reforms dictated by the imperialists, and, in fact, seek to reverse those already made. Whether all this is actually achieved or not, through such processes an anti-imperialist countrywide upsurge needs to be created.

Let all democratic, progressive and revolutionary forces join together to build this vast movement in our country.

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