Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 11 :A signature campaign titled "Dismantle All Nuclear Weapons, Save Mankind" was launched Friday by Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) president Thampan Thomas here. It envisages collecting one crore signatures in a month's time.

Speaking at the event, Thomas said US President Barrack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech was a clear indication of America's intentions for an arms race and "war mongering".

"Though he is quoting Gandhi and Martin Luther extensively, Obama is not assimilating the true message of world peace and non-violence. His claim that the 'men in American uniform' are responsible for the world order in the last 60 years is nothing but a farce," said Thomas.

The enlightened working class can only redeem the mankind from the senseless arms race sponsored by the unscrupulous rulers across the world, he added.

HMS working committee member C. P. John told IANS that this is an initiative which has begun across the world and was initiated by the Japan Trade Union Congress, with support from the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

"The India campaign began here and in a month's time, we will collect one crore signatures, and send it (the charter) to International Trade Union Congress, which will collect it from all other places, and hand it to the United Nations next May," said John. (IANS)