Thousands protest India, US wargames

THOUSANDS of Marxists have staged noisy protests overnight at a military airbase where India and the United States will hold joint manoeuvres next week.

Members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) also picketed Kolkata international airport as two US Air Force transport planes landed ahead of the 13-day war games set to start on Monday over the garrison town of Kalaikunda, police said.

"US planes... go back, go back," screamed thousands of protesters in Kolkata, capital of Marxist-ruled West Bengal state, arguing that exercises with the United States were against India's strategic interests. Police said the Marxists also protested at the Indian Air Force base in Kalaikunda, 150 kilometres from Kolkata, over the upcoming event involving US F-16s and India's Russian-designed MiG-29 and MiG-21 fighter planes.

"Our protests against the Indo-US air exercises will continue as we fear it is a part of the US strategy to set up American military bases in this region," said Marxist leader Amitava Nandy who staged the two protests. Three million people will gather in front of the airbase when the exercise begins," he said


http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17146051%255E1702,00.html

Would explain a lot.