Left parliamentarians held a sit-in in Parliament on Thursday to mark their opposition to the ongoing five-nation wargames involving the United States off the Bay of Bengal.

The Left parties have, over the past few days, been vocal in their protests against the growing proximity between India and the US.

Opposing the joint naval exercises, Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat had few days ago told media persons that of the 13 US naval ships participating in the exercise, one ship -- USS Nimitz -- had bombarded the people of Iraq, which had close relationship with India.

Pointing out that inviting the US to India's vicinity will not ensure the nation's security, Left leaders say that India must have its own independent strategic perspective -- an Asian perspective -- rather than holding multi-nation exercises.

Image: Parliamentarians belonging to Left parties shout anti-government slogans outside the Parliament.
Photograph: Raveendran/AFP/Getty Images