By Pervez Bari, TwoCrcles.net,
Bhopal: The Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI), has questioned the euphoria being shown by the Indian Government and the media in highlighting the proposed visit of United States of America President Barack Hussain Obama to India in November second week. There is no perceptible change in the policies pursued by the United States towards the Muslim world under Mr. Obama after the change of guards in the White House.
The SDPI national president E. Abubacker and general secretary A. Sayeed in a joint statement said that the SDPI will protest against the visit, on the day Mr. Obama addresses the Indian Parliament.
The duo of Abubacker and Sayeed said that the Muslims in India and elsewhere in the world had great hopes from Mr. Obama but all that have been belied. The new President did not match his words with deeds and as such the Muslim World remains disenchanted with him for waging war in the name of Peace which was initiated by his predecessor in Afghanistan and Iraq. The change seeker President Obama had advocated changes in attitude towards Muslims. But mere words won’t help. Muslims in America or those who visit America face racial discrimination. They are racially profiled. Mr. Obama’s verbal promises have not taken a practical shape as yet, they added.
The joint statement recalled that in his historic speech at Cairo University last year, Mr. Obama had called for a ‘new beginning’ with the Muslim world but that is yet to be realized in letter and spirit. He advocated a partnership with Muslim communities across the globe on the basis of ‘mutual interest and respect’, but this too has to unfold into action. It remains yet to be seen that the US is Muslim-friendly as Muslims are not too happy with the US’ policy towards the Islamic world. It was expected that Mr. Obama would take efforts to stop Israel from building Jewish settlements in the occupied territory of Palestine.
They said that the aims and objects of Mr. Obama’s visit to India are not very clear. The general perception is that it is the commencement of commercial negotiations between Indian operators and the US companies. It seems that it is just a business trip with trade matters high on the agenda. Capitalist nature of Indo-American political relationship is going to be more visible. The American president has already waived away the chances of India’s entry into the UN Security council. Some anti-people moves on nuclear liability also are suspected to take place. The rumblings going on for justice and freedom in many parts of the world for decades together, is unlikely to crop up in the meetings between the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the US President Barack Obama.
Barack Obama has not yet responded to the Amnesty International stand on the survivors of Bhopal gas disaster. The Amnesty International