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Non-Cong. Opposition leaders want India to take firm stand

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MARCH 26. Non-Congress Opposition leaders today demanded that the Vajpayee Government take a "categorical stand" calling for an end to the war against Iraq and ask the United Nations to intervene.

The leaders, including three former Prime Ministers and chiefs of eight other parties, also decided to observe March 31 as a nationwide protest day and appealed to the people to lodge a `powerful' protest against the war to convey a message that India stands with the rest of the world in opposing the war.

In a joint statement, the leaders charged that the U.S. and Britain had violated all international laws and the U.N. charter by embarking on this war.

"This illegal and unjust war is being conducted in flagrant defiance of world public opinion'', they said, adding that for the past one week, the Iraqi people had been subjected to a "barbaric attack'' through aerial bombardment.

The statement said the loss of civilian lives and the destruction of property was mounting steadily and Iraq was a country with which India had close and friendly ties. This assault on the sovereignty of Iraq had been opposed by all sections of the people of India. India has a long tradition of lending support to countries defending their national sovereignty against imperialist aggression.

"It is unfortunate that the Vajpayee Government has not reflected the opinion of the Indian people by taking a firm stand condemning the U.S. aggression and declaring solidarity with Iraq'', the statement said.

The signatories included, the former Prime Ministers, V.P. Singh, H.D. Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral, the Samajwadi party chief, Mulayam Singh Yadav, the NCP president, Sharad Pawar, the RJD president, Laloo Prasad Yadav, Harkishan Singh Surjeet (CPI-M), A.B. Bardhan (CPI), Debabrata Biswas (AIFB), Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPI-ML) and K. Pankajakshan (RSP).

The CPI-ML has decided to organise a mass anti-war rally and demonstration before the U.S. Embassy here on Friday.

On the same day, the party would also hold similar anti-war demonstrations before American Centres in Kolkata and Chennai. Anti-war protest will also be held in Guwhati, Agartala, Bhubaneswar and Ranchi.

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