I AM REPRODUCING THE CALL GIVEN BY CITU AND OTHER MASS ORGANISATIONS TO OBSERVE 8 OR 9 AUGUST AS PROTEST DAY CONDEMNING ISRAELI ATTACK ON GAZA, PALESTINE AND ITS PEOPLE

CITU AIKS AIAWU AIDWA DYFI SFI
Condemn Killing of Innocent People of Palestine by Israeli Aggressors
Resolve Joint Mass Action at District and Taluk centres all over India
On 8th or 9th August 2014.
Declaration
We condemn with strongest terms the brutal killing of the innocent people of Palestine by the Zionist Government of Israel. We also denounce the US and other imperialist powers who are equally responsible for these killings due to their support to the Zionist. We note with shock and horror that in course of the last 25 days aggression by Israeli military forces so far more than 1500 people have been killed and the number is going up every day. 63 Israel soldiers including 3 civilians have also been killed. More than 7000 Palestinian people have been seriously injured. One third of Palestinians killed so far are children and women. Violating all international conventions even the schools, hospitals and UN shelters were bombarded. It is a war against humanity.
Over 1.8 million Palestinians are trapped in an occupied and besieged small piece of land that Israel has turned into an open-air prison, subject to daily bombardment. For seven years, the Palestinian people in Gaza have been under a brutal and illegal siege whose purpose is to destroy the conditions of life and break the national spirit of its people. The siege and continuing bombing have created a humanitarian catastrophe, with critical shortage of water, food and medical supplies. The main power generation station of Gaza was bombed by the Israel military with the ulterior motive to deny access to medical care even to those severely injured. The UN Human Rights Commissioner has said Israel should be investigated for war crimes.
With the active support of US Imperialism, Israel is determined to perpetuate the belligerent occupation on Palestinian land through the military aggression like the ongoing war. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled ten years back that the construction of Israel’s wall and its associated regime in the occupied Palestinian West Bank-of settlements, land confiscation, separate roads, permit system and movement restrictions – is illegal under international law. Yet in ten years the imperialist powers have planfully allowed Israel to continue construction on occupied territory and continue its system of occupation, apartheid and colonialism against the Palestinian people. In the situation there is widespread recognition that Zionist Israel must be isolated by the pressure of solidarity of the people all over the world with the people of Palestine.
Shockingly the Narendra Modi Government toeing with the line of US imperialists is supporting the Zionist Government of Israel. Modi government was adamant on not allowing the Indian Parliament to adopt a resolution condemning the mass killing in Palestine. Such position of the Modi Government is against the rich heritage of democratic and secular traditions of the people of India who raised its voice in the past against gross atrocities on humanity anywhere in the world; whether apartheid in South Africa or imperialist onslaught on Vietnam and illegal sanctions on Cuba. The Modi Government is further exposed of utter hypocrisy, by signing the BRICS resolution that condemn the Israel attack on Gaza, on one hand and taking the opposite position within the country on the other hand.
In order to build public opinion for peace, human rights and right to live, to pressurise the world governments including of India to do all efforts to prevent Israel from the barbaric attack on innocent civilians of Palestine. We representing various mass and class organisations appeal all sections of the people of India to demonstrate the anger against the inhuman, ongoing brutal killings of innocent people of Palestine by Israeli military by participating in the massive protest march and public meetings at District and Taluk centres all over the country on 8th or 9th of August 2014.
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A joint meeting of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF was held at Chennai on 1st August 2014 under the auspices of the circle unions of Chennai. The meeting was held in the spacious Rotary Club Conference Hall. A large number of workers including from BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF participated, including about one hundred women. The same was presided by a Presidium consisting of the Circle Presidents of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF.
Com.K.Govindarajan, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Chennai Telephones welcomed the more than 400 comrades who attended the meeting. Coms.C.K.Narasimhan, Circle Secretary, AIBDPA, Punitha Udayakumar, All India Vice-President, BSNLEU, R.Arumugam, All India Organising Secretary, AIBDPA and other leaders addressed.

Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU & BSNLCCWF and Advisor AIBDPA spoke on length on the issues of all the three sections. The decisions taken by the Rajkot CEC of BSNLEU and the decision to go on agitational programmes, CEC meetings of both AIBDPA & CCLU and their decisions to go on agitational path were explained. He also pointed to the new situation after the general elections. The new BJP government is continuing the same neo-liberal policies more aggressively. Workers rights are in danger, with the proposal of changing the labour laws. Communal harmony is being disturbed by miscreants and certain politicians. This has got to be opposed.
The house was full and the attention was beyond expectations.

The Circle Unions of Chennai deserve appreciation and thanks to their leaders for the excellent meeting.