Bhubaneswar: Four major Left parties jointly organised a protest demonstration in Bhubaneswar Monday, condemning the killing of three Indian sailors in an alleged attack by the United States military near the Strait of Hormuz.
The protest was jointly staged by state units of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, and All India Forward Bloc.
Addressing the gathering, Left leaders strongly criticised US actions in Middle East and alleged that American naval forces attacked a commercial vessel carrying Indian crew members near Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the deaths of three unarmed Indian sailors.
The leaders claimed that this was the third such attack involving ships with Indian crew members and accused the US of threatening further action against vessels violating its blockade measures.
US administration’s actions violate international law, including principles governing freedom of navigation in international waters, the protesters said. They accused Washington of pursuing hegemonic policies and called for stronger international opposition to what they termed ‘imperialist aggression’.
The leaders also criticised the BJP-led Central government, alleging that it had failed to adequately protect Indian interests and respond firmly to the deaths of Indian sailors.
They demanded that the Indian government seek accountability, obtain compensation for the families of the deceased sailors, and take diplomatic measures against those responsible for the alleged attack.
The protestors further expressed concern over the wider impact of escalating tensions in West Asia, arguing that the conflict could disrupt global energy supplies and contribute to rising fuel prices and shortages of essential commodities. The four parties called upon citizens across the country to raise their voices against the alleged attack and urged the Central government to ensure justice for the victims and support for their families.
Several senior leaders and activists including Suresh Panigrahi, Prashant Mishra, Yudhishthir Mahapatra, Purnachandra Padhi, Jayant Das, Narayan Reddy, Vijay Jena, Jambeswar Samantaray, Ullas Swain, and others, participated in the demonstration.
