India, June 16 -- Five major Left parties on Monday issued a scathing joint statement strongly condemning the US Navy for a "dastardly attack" on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in the deaths of three Indian seafarers. Terming it the third such assault on vessels operating with Indian crew members, the political outfits announced nationwide protests against American imperialist aggression and hit out at the Centre for its "meek response."

The joint declaration was issued by CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby, CPI General Secretary D Raja, CPI(ML)-Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, AlFB General Secretary G Devarajan, and RSP General Secretary Manoj Bhattacharya.

The Left leaders alleged that the ...