Anti-war rallies held in Tripura

Several anti-war rallies have been held in the north-east Indian state of Tripura on the 75th anniversary of the commencement of World War II.

Parliamentarian, legislators, intellectuals, artists, writers, poets, social activists, journalists and ordinary people joined marches in state capital Agartala to spread the message of peace.

The marchers carried placards bearing anti-war slogans and pictures, sang songs, recited poems, and raised slogans denouncing war.

They also criticised the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

"We are protesting against war on the day the Second World War started 75 years ago, resulting in a loss of great many lives.

"We are not free from the shackles of imperialistic powers that promote wars for their benefit. Even today cold war is going on in the Gaza which America is indirectly supporting.

"Today thousands of lives including that of children and women are lost due to the Israeli attack on Palestine. We are protesting against these incidents and want to stop war," said Gautam Das, one of the organisers.

Joyesree Deb Roy, a participant said: "We are protesting against the killing of people in the name of religion. A person’s sole identity is human irrespective of where he or she may be born.

Even physically challenged men and women, foreign tourists and traders took part in the biggest ever anti-war rally held in the state so far.

Tripura Chief Minister and Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Manik Sarkar and several other top Left leaders took part in the peace procession.

The World War-II had begun in the early hours of September 1, 1939, when the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein fired on the Polish fort of Westerplatte.