New Delhi:
26 AUG 2008
A day-long convention was held on "Dangerous Indo-US Strategic Alliance under the garb of the nuclear deal" by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind along with 14 other Civil Society organisations which are working together against Indo-US Strategic Alliance with the name - "Campaign against Imperialism".
These organizations lambasting the UPA government for Indo-US nuclear deal and becoming US partner, said it was part of the ruling elite's bid to become a strategic partner of American "imperialism".
The participants unanimously adopted a resolution which condemned "attempts" by the government and corporate houses for trying to get the "dubious status of some kind of a nuclear weapons state", which they said did not mean anything for the masses.
During the convention, the leaders also condemned terrorism, but came down heavily on "victimisation" of innocents in the name of curbing terror, especially those belonging to Muslim community, and "dividing" the people on the basis of religion.
Besides Jamat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), CPI(M), CPI, RSP, Forward Bloc and JD(S), Muslim organizations and several NGOs took part in the convention.
Decrying the nuclear deal, CPI(M) Member of Parliament Mohd Salim said providing atomic energy was "only a pretext" for the US imperialism to entangle India into its "imperialist web". "The context is that three months before the deal was agreed upon in December 2005, a joint military agreement called "Indo-US Defence Framework" was signed between then US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld and then Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee," he said. These agreements are clearly aimed at making India a strategic ally of the US in the lines of Israel, Salim said.
Slamming the US for its military aggression in various parts of the world, JIH General Secretary Nusrat Ali lashed out at both the Congress and the BJP for working towards a permanent alliance with America. He said it would be in the best interest of the country that a suitable ideological alternative against Capitalism or Imperialism was presented to the people. 'If any one has best alternate ideology to run the earthly system should be discussed openly other wise Islamic system is the most applicable alternative for the peoples, in my opinion,' he added.
CPI National Secretary Atul Kumar Anjaan said the deal was a "precursor" to India-US partnership in knowledge and agriculture sector.
Referring to the US "machinations" against Iran, Quaumi Party of India President Mohd Hasnain said it would be an attack on the entire world if India supported any American bid to attack Iran.
"France's Areva company is raring to sell nuclear reactors, each worth USD 6.1 billion, to India. And even after this huge cost, only five to eight per cent of the energy deficiency will be met," said Prabir Purakayastha, Chairman of Society for Independent Foreign Policy.
Maintaining that the Left parties should have withdrawn support in November 2007 as his party had sought, RSP leader Abani Roy said had this happened, "neither would Samajwadi Party joined Congress, nor would Congress-led government gone ahead with the nuclear deal and its anti-people economic policies."
Forward Bloc's G Devarajan said the nuclear deal was basically a facade to strengthen strategic ties with the US.
Expressing his party's support, JD(S) leader Danish Ali said his party chief and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had condemned the Pokhran-II nuclear tests carried out by the then NDA government. The nuclear deal was aimed at "dumping nuclear wastes" in India and rejuvenate the US nuclear industry which were now on the verge of closure, he said and expressed doubts whether the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group would clear the deal by September.
Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, President of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat and Mumbai based activist Feroz Mithiborwala also opined on the occasion.
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