Political parties, organisations protest Bush's visit

Bangalore, Mar 2 (UNI) Political parties, especially the Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI, Samajwadi Party and All India Progressive Janata Party, and various organisations across Karnataka today staged demostrations against the three-day visit of United States President George W Bush to India.

The demonstrators criticised the Centre's policy and shouted slogans, urging the US President to go back. They burnt the effigy of the visiting dignitary, who arrived in New Delhi last night, in some district headquarters.

It may be recalled that the Karnataka High Court had yesterday refused to grant an interim stay on a public interest litigation, seeking a direction to the Government and the law enforcement agencies to prevent the anti-Bush rally slated for today as it saw no reason to presume a law and order problem arising out of the rally.

Addressing a protest rally, SP State President and former Chief Minister S Bangarappa took exception to the United Progressive Alliance Government, headed by Dr Manmohan Singh, inviting Mr Bush without taking its allies such as the Leftist parties into confidence.

CPI(M) leader G V Srirama Reddy, farmers leader S Puttannaiah and others also addressed the demonstrators.

In Hassan, the demonstrators took out a procession and organised a rally in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office.

A Hubli report said office bearers of the All India Trade Union Congress and National Women's Federation shouted slogans against Mr Bush and submitted a memorandum to the Tahsildar.

In Bijapur, the Human Rights Council opposed the visit and criticised the US policy of ''declaring war'' against innocent people across the world. The Left party workers too staged a demonstration and burnt an effigy of Mr Bush.

UNI Team/SR GD RL PM2010