Left parties to observe Sep 25 as 'Protest Day'

New Delhi, Sep 19 (UNI) The Left parties along with Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal (S) have decided to observe September 25 as a 'Protest Day', coinciding with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Washington on the same day to give final touches to the Indo-US nuclear deal.

According to a CPI(M) release issued here today, these political parties, including all the four Left parties- Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (CPI), All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), have decided to observe it as a Protest Day, since the nuclear accord ''compromises the country's sovereignty and vital interests''.

The Prime Minister has gone back on his assurance that he will come back to Parliament after getting clearence from the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Parliament would be convened only on October 17, well after the nuclear deal was sealed in Washington, the release added.

According to the release, these parties have said the refusal to call Parliament comes at a time when the country has suffered a series of terrorist blasts, attacks on minorities, continuing price rise and the adverse impact of the US financial crisis.

''To protest against the signing of the nuclear deal and the bypassing of Parliament, we are giving a call to the people of the country to observe September 25 as a Protest Day,'' it added.

These parties will hold rallies and protest demonstration all over the country against the ''surrender to the United States''.

On the same day, Members of Parliament, belonging to all these parties, will be holding a mass dharna at the Parliament House against the gross contempt and violation of Parliamentary democracy, the release added.

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