[antiwar-van] Sept. 1 anti-war rally in India

[Kimball Cariou]

I thought people would be interested to read this first-hand account of 
the massive anti-war rally in Kolkata (Calcutta) India earlier this 
week. The article will appear in the Sept. 16-30 issue of People's 
Voice, along with photos if possible.

Kimball Cariou

******************

Huge anti-war rally in Kolkata

By B. Prasant, People's Voice correspondent in India

     Hundreds of thousands of people marched along the streets of 
Kolkata on September 1 as part of an anti-war procession organized by 
the Bengal Left Front along with other left and democratic parties. For 
Kolkata, an anti-war procession is part of the long anti-imperialist 
tradition that the metropolis enjoys. Harking back to the second half of 
the last century, one can discern a continuous strengthening of the 
anti-war and anti-imperialism frame of mind of the democratically 
conscious people of this city of teeming millions.

     The Bengal Left Front and other parties had made a joint call for 
the organisation of the march (called a mahamichhil or a procession of 
massive proportions) some weeks back and since then, preparations had 
been going on for the occasion. Tableaux were set up, banners and 
buntings fashioned, and posters and placards were prepared, with 
anti-war and anti-imperialism slogans adorning them all. The procession 
was participated in mostly by people of some south Bengal districts 
other than those of Kolkata.

     The slogans that roared out from the procession included: "Down 
with the worldwide hegemony of US imperialism!", "Away with 
Anglo-American imperialists from Iraq!", and calls for an end to the 
occupations of Afghanistan and Palestine. Other slogans called for a new 
independent foreign policy for India, and an end to military cooperation 
with the US.

     The procession was flagged off early in the afternoon by the Bengal 
Left Front chairman, Biman Basu. A barrage of red balloons floated up 
with anti-imperialist buntings to a roar of approval from the rallyists 
who had assembled near the Aakashvani Bhavan in central Kolkata. Biman 
Basu, CPI(M) state secretary Anil Biswas, Bengal chief minister 
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, and the leaders of the Left Front led the 
procession.

     From students to agricultural labourers, from TU activists to 
teachers, the procession saw the presence of the widest possible 
spectrum of the classes and professions including ministers, MPs sports 
persons, actors, stage personalities, theatre activists, singers, poets, 
writers, film personalities and a large number of mass front workers. 
Also present in overwhelming numbers were the workers and leaders of 17 
Left and democratic political parties who had sponsored and organised 
the anti-war procession.

     The procession moved along the Dharamtolla area and went down the 
AJC Bose and APC Roads to reassemble at Deshbandhu Park in the northern 
area of the metropolis. Such was the massive proportion of the 
procession that the short stretch of a kilometre or so from the 
Aakashvani Bhavan to the Dharamtolla area took just under half-an-hour 
for the marchers to traverse. The front of the procession had arrived at 
the Deshbandhu Park while the end was yet to take off from the starting 
point.

     The procession was greeted all along the way by people who waved 
banners condemning war and imperialism, and showered flower petals on 
the marchers. The Street Hawkers' Union workers stayed put near the 
Dharamtolla crossing and untiringly greeted the marchers with flowers. 
The fire service workers came in their khaki uniform, the lawyers 
marched in the black-and-white ensemble, the porters and head load 
carriers from the Howrah stationed walked in their dark blue uniforms, 
presenting a fascinating sight. More than 50 tableaux added to the 
attraction of the march.

     Singers like Kabir Suman presented popular anti-war ballads at the 
start of the march. Songs also burst out regularly from the marchers 
themselves as they traversed the streets. The activists of the IPTA and 
the Democratic Writers' and Artists' Association sang throughout the way 
sitting in or standing on the different tableaux. "We shall overcome!" 
proved once again a popular choice.

     Watering stations provided welcome relief to the processionists. 
Neither the occasional shower nor the damp heat nor thirst could deter 
the resolute ongoing march of the anti-war rallyists. Despite the huge 
hue-and-cry made in the corporate media about the march blocking the 
roadways and denying the people the right of access, the massive 
procession went unfailingly along one side of the road, allowing 
vehicles to bypass them without a fuss. Ambulances were given right of 
way as a priority measure. A large number of people while crossing the 
roads thanked the rallyists for the manner in which the march was organised.

     There was a rally organised at Deshbandhu Park as the procession 
drew to its close. Biman Basu declared that the 17 political parties 
that had sponsored and organised the procession would decide upon their 
next programmes later on. The demand of the rally was: Away with 
Anglo-American imperialist intervention in Iraq!

     Biman Basu said that those who protest against processions should 
realise that such programmes were going on against US imperialism all 
across the globe for the menace was global in nature. Basu also said 
that in India, the demand would be of the union government to forge an 
independent, non-aligned foreign policy and be strident in its criticism 
of the US moves across the world.

END

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