Release on the Black Day of Condoleezza Rice's visit to New Delhi

Pamphlet dated 16th July, '08

Questions to NSUI on Nuclear Deal

Public Meeting on Nuclear Deal

JNUSU Convention on Indo-US Nuclear Deal

ATTEND IN LARGE NUMBERS!!

Release in Run Up to the convention against nuclear deal

LONG LIVE OUR STRUGGLE AGAINST US IMPERIALISM!!

SFI Pamphlet dated 15th September, '07

15.09.07

Oppose AISA’s politics of lies and slander against the Left

The Indo-US Nuclear Deal is currently at the centre of politics in our country. On the one hand we have the ruling classes and the elites in accordance with the Congress led UPA Government clamouring in favour of the Deal, which will pave the way for more and more subservience to US interests. On the other hand, we have a mass opposition to the Indo-US Nuclear Deal and the growing proclivity of the Indian Government to the USA, led by the Left Parties. The struggle which has ensued in the national arena today is a struggle for upholding our independence, sovereignty and anti-imperialist legacy. In this struggle it is only natural that the Left which has always been the torchbearers of anti-imperialism in India is leading the charge.

Given this mass based opposition to the Indo-US Nuclear Deal under the leadership of the Left, the main opposition party in the country, BJP is in complete shambles. After all, the architecture for the present strategic alliance with the USA was detailed under the BJP-led NDA rule! In order to hide its hypocrisy in now opposing the nuclear deal, the BJP succeeded in its diabolical effort to subvert a parliamentary discussion on the Indo-US nuclear deal. A discussion in the parliament would have clearly demonstrated, presuming that the BJP would have echoed its public opposition to the deal inside the parliament, that a majority of the Indian parliament is opposed to the deal. It is, however, clear that the BJP chose to disrupt the debate as it would have exposed its double speak on the issue as evident from Mr. Advani's public retracing of the BJP's initial opposition. The opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal on the part of the BJP is also extremely opportunistic. This is evident from the fact that the BJP has attacked the Left for not toppling the Government, while preventing a discussion in the Parliament.

In this national political context, it is shameful that the AISA's point of attack on the issue of nuclear deal continues to be the Left, particularly, CPI(M). The pamphlet of AISA, 13-09-07, only reinforces our point that the ultra-left in our campus is the most sectarian. While the country has witnessed massive mobilization of the people under the leadership of the Left against the nuclear deal and the Joint Naval exercises, the CPI(M-L) or AISA or any other naxal outfit has not mobilized anybody against the deal. Why? Simply because the ultra-left is obsessed with the crudest form of anti-CPI(M) politics and do not care for having any meaningful intervention at the national level against the anti-people policies pursued by the ruling classes. No wonder that the people of the country has thoroughly rejected their politics, whereby the CPI (M-L) does not even have a single MP in the Parliament.

The AISA in the most infantile manner has charged the CPI(M) of double speak for appreciating the PM's assurances given to the Parliament on 17th August 2006 and then demanding non-operationalisation of the 123 agreement now. This is, to say the least, a childish assertion, bordering on political illiteracy. In August 2006, the Left parties had raised 9 points regarding the Indo-US nuclear deal, which were addressed through concrete assurances made by the Prime Minister in Parliament on 17th August 2006. However, after that the Hyde Act was passed in December 2006, the CPI (M) and the Left parties had stated that the Hyde Act provisions were grossly violative of the assurances made by the Prime Minister in Parliament. The Left parties had asked the Government not to proceed with the negotiations on the bilateral agreement. Four such statements were issued since December 2006. To argue a CPI(M) double speak without taking into account the passing of the Hyde Act in the US, after the PM's statements, is being deliberately malicious against the Left, parroting the slander of the media.

AISA's political bankruptcy is also exposed by its attacking the CPI (M) for not having a vote in the Parliament on the Nuclear Deal. A minimum amount of knowledge regarding the proceedings in the Parliament is enough for one to understand that never in the history of Indian Parliament has a foreign treaty been put to vote. The present Speaker of the Parliament has only acted according to the rules of the House. The Left Parties do not agree with this provision and has stated that “The Left parties will press for a Constitutional amendment for bringing international treaties and certain bilateral agreements for approval in parliament.” (Left Parties Statement on August 7, 2007). To blame the Left for not putting the agreement to vote, while remaining completely silent on the BJP's disruption of any discussion in the Parliament, only shows the shallow levels of political understanding that the AISA as an organization has.

The people of this country are testimony to the valiant struggle that the Left is waging against the Indo-US Nuclear Deal and the policies of the UPA to become junior partners of US imperialism. In this struggle, it is of utmost importance that all progressive forces join hands. AISA's political bankruptcy and single point anti-Left agenda is only strengthening the hands of the right wing. We appeal to the student community to rally bahind the Left in opposing the Indo-US nuclear deal while isolating the pro-US BJP and the anti-Left sectarian AISA.

Sd/- Rajiv Ranjan, Secretary, SFI-JNU; Sd/- Roshan Kishore, President, SFI-JNU.

Poster on Convention on Nuclear Deal on 13th Spet, '07

Release on the PD Editorial

JNUSU Pamphlet dated 10th September, '07

UNITE AGAINST UPA'S SURRENDER OF INDIA'S SOVEREIGNTY AND INDEPENDENT FOREIGN POLICY BEFORE US IMPERIALISM!!

SFI pamphlet Dated 6th September, '07

SFI pamphlet dated 30th Aug '07

30-08-07

INDO-US NUCLEAR DEAL: COMPROMISING OUR SOVEREIGNTY TO SERVE US INTERESTS

Friends,

The National Common Minimum Programme sets out the basic tenet of the foreign policy of the UPA Government in the following terms: “The UPA government will pursue an independent foreign policy keeping in mind its past traditions. This policy will seek to promote multipolarity in world relations and oppose all attempts at unilateralism.” There is no mention of any strategic relations or partnership with the US. However, the UPA Government has tried, since its inception, to circumvent and breach this important provision of the NCMP and continue with the NDA Government’s policy of deepening India’s strategic ties with the US and become its subordinate ally. However, within a month all these formulations were forgotten and series of strategic tie up with the US was achieved:

INDO-US NUCLEAR DEAL AND INDIA'S STRATEGIC TIES WITH THE US:

● On June 28, 2005, just prior to Bush-Manmohan Agreement of July 18, 2005, New Framework for India-US Defence Relationship was signed. In this Agreement, it is stated, U.S.-India defence relationship derives from a common belief in freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, and seeks to advance shared security interests. Considering that the Iraq invasion was justified by the US as bringing democracy to West Asia, a reference to a shared belief in democracy and rule of law cannot be acceptable to the Indian people.

● The Bush-Manmohan agreement was followed immediately by India’s vote against Iran in the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA). Senator Lugar in his opening remarks in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had noted, approvingly, “We have already seen strategic benefits from our improving relationship with India. India’s votes at the IAEA on the Iran issue last September and this past February demonstrate that New Delhi is able and willing to adjust its traditional foreign policies and play a constructive role on international issues.” Manmohan Singh’s oft-repeated claims that India’s foreign policy would not change due to this Deal, is not borne out by his Governments’ record, especially when the US officials are busy selling the agreement to the US Congress on the strategic value of India aligning with the US.

● Currently, the Manmohan Singh Government is negotiating a Logistics and Service Agreement. This would virtually reduce India to an American ally in Asia. It essentially allows refueling and complete access to Indian facilities for all US ships and aircraft. The US navy can bomb Iraq and Iran and then come to India’s ports for rest, recreation and refueling, before going back for another round of hostilities. Step by step, from a vote against Iran, we are now to become hosts to the US navy in its military misadventures in West Asia and elsewhere. More importantly, as far as the 123 agreement is concerned, the Hyde Act categorically demands India to fall in line with US as explained below:

HYDE ACT AND INDIA'S INDEPENDENT FOREIGN POLICY:

The Hyde Act is an enabling legislation that allows the US Congress to consider an agreement for civilian nuclear co-operation under the section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act. The Hyde Act said very clearly that India’s foreign policy needed to be congruent to the US; it had to work in tandem with the US on isolating Iran. It demanded that India join the illegal PSI regime. It also restricted India’s access to technology to fuel and import of reactors. It denied access to technology for the fuel cycle – enrichment or reprocessing – and also for heavy water. It also made clear that in the event the Deal was canceled, the fuel supplies from the US would not only stop but the US would work with other suppliers to stop their supplies to India too. This is a major issue as earlier also, the US had stopped supplies to Tarapur reactors. If we put in a substantial nuclear program using imported reactors, this would mean our power program could be held hostage to the US’s continued goodwill.

All these tie ups with the US and the Hyde Act provision of the 123 agreement, seriously compromises our sovereignty and independent foreign policy. Should we allow our sovereignty be compromised by acting as junior partners of the greatest war machine and imperialist power that the world has ever seen? It is in this context that the Indo-US nuclear deal is not a narrow issue of the Left. It is about struggling to ensure that the sovereignty of our country is protected.

Today, it is the Left forces, who are spearheading the struggle against US domination of our country and the tendency within ruling classes to act as junior partners of imperialism. It is shameful that when the Left is engaged in a heated struggle against US imperialism, the 'infantile' ultras of AISA in the most sectarian manner is attacking the Left, only strengthening the hands of the right wing slander. Their political bankruptcy gets reflected by the fact that instead of mobilizing opinion against the deal, they are more interested in parroting the slanders of the media against the Left. This is a manifestation of their frustration, since the CPI(M-L) is irrelevant as far as the future of this deal is concerned. With regard to their point about voting out this government, let us remind our friends in AISA that the RSS Chief KS Sudarsan has said the same thing in a latest editorial in Organizer. So it is quite obvious whose politics they are serving by taking this position. We appeal to the student community to stand united against the Indo-US nuclear deal and in defence of our sovereignty and rally behind the Left.

Sd/- Rajiv Kumar Ranjan, Secretary, SFI-JNU; Sd/- Roshan, President, SFI-JNU

JNUSU-SIS pamphlet for Public Meeting dated 9th Aug '07

Date: 09/08/07

Friends,

It has been two years since the UPA government signed the Civilian Nuclear Agreement with the US, which has been celebrated in the foreign policy circles as something ‘historic’ in the relations between the countries. But ever since, there have innumerable rounds of negotiations by both the countries. This is precisely due to the shifting of goal posts from the side of US on many crucial points of the agreement, especially in the aftermath of the ratification in the US Congress.

The Henry Hyde Act which is a domestic law of the US that was put in place with regard to this agreement attempting to make the country kowtow the strategic interests of the US. Thus, the agreement cannot be seen in isolation as it also forms an intrinsic part of the Military Framework agreement signed with the US. These attempts by the US to make India its strategic partner also severely compromise the commitment by the UPA government for an independent Foreign Policy. This is best illustrated by the deviations in the foreign policy with India voting twice against Iran in the IAEA. The Hyde Act therefore extends beyond the nuclear realm and tries to coerce India in making her foreign policy congruent to US’ strategic interests. This would also place strong curbs on India’s own strategic programme thereby making her accept the discriminatory Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty. More than that, by joining a US-led unequal world order, it would also relegate India’s traditional commitment to nuclear disarmament.

Overall, the agreement goes beyond the assurances given by the Prime Minister in the Parliament in 2006 and compromises on India’s own self-reliance. The US’ imperialist ambitions have already been achieved in Afghanistan and Iraq and through this agreement, there are serious attempts to get India on board. The Left and the progressive sections of the country have always unitedly struggled against any attempts by successive governments to fall in line with the imperialistic diktats of the US. Hence, it is imperative that we continue to carry forward that legacy. To discuss the details of the nuclear agreement and its wider implications for India’s foreign policy interests, JNUSU-SIS appeals to all students to attend the public meeting tonight at 9.30 pm in large numbers.

Public Meeting

INDO-US NUCLEAR DEAL AND 123 AGREEMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR INDIA AND BEYOND

Prabir Purkayastha, Delhi Science Forum
Siddharth Varadarajan, The Hindu
Seema Mustafa, Asian Age

09/08/07 (Tonight) - 9.30 pm - Periyar Mess

Sd/- P.K.Anand, Tiainla, C.Lalengkima – Councillors, JNUSU-SIS.