While wholly opposing the recent nuclear weapons tests carried out by India and Pakistan,

we condemn the United States government for:

firstly, leading the programme of economic sanctions which will hurt the people of India and Pakistan rather than their governments (for example stopping Japanese funds for modernising hospitals and fighting polio); secondly, imposing sanctions to further the interests of U.S. business (for example blocking the development of India's competetive software industry); thirdly, hypocritically intervening in a part of the world where earlier U.S. interventions from the 1950s onwards have actively fuelled the arms race in the region; and fourthly, imposing a lopsided global 'nuclear disarmament' policy where five of the world's most powerful nations continue to have nuclear weapons.

We also condemn the governments of India and Pakistan for callously ignoring the basic needs of their people and draining yet more scarce resources into a destructive arms race and cynically using the tests to pose as anti-imperialist while remaining committed to economic policies which serve the interests of foreign capital at a heavy cost to their own people.

We particularly condemn India's BJP-led government for initiating the nuclear arms race in South Asia, whipping up communal feeling against Indian Muslims through the test and its aftermath, pandering to the most vicious right-wing elements within its fold and displaying a fascistic populism in an attempt to consolidate its position nationally.

We express our heartfelt support and solidarity with all democratic initiatives by the people of India and Pakistan to stop the escalation of hostilities between the two countries and to work together for a lasting peace in the region.

Tony Benn M.P.

David Chater M.P.

Jeremy Corbyn M.P.

John Cryer M.P.

Neil Gerrard M.P.

Ken Livingstone M.P.

John McAllion M.P.

John McDonnell M.P.

Alice Mahon M.P.

Amrit Wilson, for South Asia Solidarity Group, London

Hilary Rose, Professor Emerita, University of Bradford

Dr Sudipta Kaviraj, SOAS, University of London

Professor Aparna Rao, University of Koln

Dr Pritam Singh, Oxford Brookes University

Parvati Raman, SOAS, University of London

Bela Bhatia, University of Cambridge

Dr Gautam Appa, London School of Economics

Dr Meena Dhanda, University of Wolverhampton

Dr T. Purewal, University of Manchester

Dr Rathin Roy, SOAS, University of London

John Fernandes, College of North West London

Gurchand Singh, University of Luton

Desmond Fernandes, De Montfort University, Bedford

Dr.Shalini Randeria, University of Berlin

Dr.S. A. Shumil, University of Bremen

Dr. S. Chowdhury, University of Gottingen

Dr.Anil Chandra, University of Koln

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