''Black Day'' part of political campaign: Left

New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) Left Parties along with the Janata Dal(S) and the TDP will observe a nationwide ''Black Day'' tomorrow as part of their strategy to make Indo-US nuclear deal a main agenda of their political campaign.

They will hold protest demonstrations, rallies, public meetings, hoist black flags, and wear black badges to impress upon the government as to how it had ''surrendered country's sovereignty to the US imperialism.'' In the national capital they have organised a protest demonstration in front of the Hyderabad House where US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is expected to stay, CPI(M) Delhi Unit said here today.

The Nuclear Pact, which was given a final approval by the US Senate yesterday, has been highly applauded by the government and the Congress while the opposition termed it as a bad deal, unequal treaty and economically unviable proposition.

CPI Deputy General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said the deal does not confine to commercial dealings with the US on outdated reactors but involves India's foreign and economic policies and in totality India's political and economic sovereignty.

CPI National Secretary Shamim Faizi said the agitating parties will hold a joint meeting here on October 5 to draw up a programme on long-run agitation against the UPA government's economic policies and its failure to check communal forces.

The Left leaders said the agitation will be intensified as India is going to fund the US economy to the tune of 70 billion dollars and obey its dictates on foreign policy matters.

They said the protestors link their opposition to the 123 agreement with the economic policies of globalisation, privatisation, and liberalisation which they said resulted in an unprecedented price rise of all essential commodities. ''So our agitation is not just against the nuclear deal but the entire perception of the UPA government on economy, development and foreign policy.'' UNI KSA BDP RP AS1631