Strong anti-Bush demonstrations across Punjab

Chandigarh, Mar 2 (UNI) Several thousand farmers of Punjab and the Left parties, joined by various students unions and activists, today demonstrated against of US President George Bush's India visit by burning his effigy and raising anti-US slogans across the state.

A few hundred Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) activists took out a protest march in the city, raised anti-Bush slogans and burnt in effigy the US President at the Sector 17 Plaza.

The agitated BKU leaders at the rally criticised the US President for invasion of Iraq and held him responsible for the bloodshed in the Gulf country and in Afghanistan.

''Bush is a criminal who forced the poor nations to bow in front of the rich through the biased and wrong policies of the WTO which is dominated by the US-based multinational companies ,'' said one of the BKU leaders before the effigy was burnt.

Reports of anti-Bush demonstrations also poured in here from Jalandhar, Bathidna, Moga, Sangrur, Mansa, Barnala and several other places in the state.

The activists of the Punjab Students Union (PSU) and the Democratic Federation Youth of India held a noisy protest outside SD girls college at Barnala and then burnt the effigy of the US President.

Shouting 'Bush go back' slogans, the activists also blocked roads in several towns.

Addressing the protest rallies leaders of these Unions blamed the US for forcing WTO policies on poor and developing nations.

Activists of the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist(CPI-ML) held a demonstration and burnt an effigy of the US President in protest against the latter's alleged imperialistic policies a report from Jalandhar said.

The demonstrators gathered at the Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall here and held a meeting to condemn the UPA Government's ''pro US policies''.

They later carried out a procession and burnt the effigy at the Company Bagh.

The Joint Platform of Mass Organisations, a forum of 40 Leftist unions, was also scheduled to hold demonstration and burn the effigy in Nakodar tomorrow.

Eds: Pick up suitably from earlier series.

UNI TEAM PS PG PM1809