Maoists call Bharat bandh to protest Obama visit

Kisenji with reporters in Lalgarh area, West Bengal

The Hindu

Maoists today called for a 24-hour nationwide shutdown on November 8 to protest against the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama. “The Maoist Central Committee will observe a 24-hour Bharat bandh on November 8,” Maoist Central Committee member Kishenji told PTI over the phone from an undisclosed location.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi were out to sell the country to American imperialism and Mr Obama’s visit to the country was just another step in the process, Kishenji alleged.

The elusive Maoist leader also termed CPI(M)’s protest programmes over Mr Obama’s visit on the same date as a “drama”. “Today’s CPI(M) [CPI-Marxist, the reactionary ruling party in West Bengal] and all other Communist parties in the country have turned into an integral part of the capitalist culture to exploit people,” he claimed.