Yechury criticizes govt. for inviting Obama on Republic Day

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday criticised the government's decision to invite United States President Barack Obama as the chief guest on Republic Day.

"This is the first time that India has invited the President of the United States of America to be the chief guest at the Republic Day. It's not that earlier invitations were given and they refused to come but India out of a clear cut foreign policy direction says that our privacy in our foreign policy lies with our solidarity with the developing world," he said.

Yechury further said the United States of America is seen as the aggressor all over the world.

"Its military interventions in West Asia have created a situation of complete uncertainty. The military interventions have always given birth to the rise of fundamentalism, which we see today in the menace that has been created by the ISIS. They have given birth to such tendencies," Yechury said.

"Now, in their quest for global hegemony, they are trying to capture the energy resources in the world. They are trying to control the entire process of the energy transfers or trade in the world. And for this reason, their military interventions has also continuing to deny the Palestinians their legitimate right to a homeland," he added.

According to reports, the Left parties have called for nationwide protests on January 24 to oppose the US President's visit.

Obama, who will be the chief guest at India's Republic Day celebrations on January 26, will become the first US President to visit India twice during his term.