Palestine Solidarity Protests Across India
There is an intense wave of support for the people of Gaza and condemnation for Israel and its US and EU allies across India. The people are coming forward to express their sentiments for the children of Gaza and lives being lost on both sides. Solidarity protests were held at many places in states as well as in New Delhi. Protests also took place in many universities and campuses by the students and faculty. Social media is also being used by people who are prevented from taking out any solidarity protests in support of Palestine by the BJP regime. In spite of targeting by BJP supported rightwing trolls and false information spreading, the concerned citizens, activists and common people are voicing their feeling asking the Modi government to work towards the peaceful resolution of the current crisis in Gaza, condemn Israel’s aggression and war crimes.
Delhi
Hundreds of people joined a Citizens’ March in the national capital braving brutal violence and repression by the Delhi Police on 16 October. Hundreds were detained and taken to various police stations across the city.
The assembled activists condemned the settler apartheid colonialism of Israel in Palestine. Amidst the slogans chanting ‘Stop Israel's Genocidal War in Gaza’, ‘In solidarity with Palestinian people and their struggle for liberation’, ‘Shame on Modi-BJP regime’, ‘Palestine Will Be Free’ and ‘Why people can't come out in Solidarity with the people of Palestine facing brutality at the hands of Israel?’. CPIML Delhi secretary Ravi Rai said while being detained that India has always stood against the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The Modi government wants to change this policy because it wants to reshape India into an ethnic nationalist, Islamophobic, authoritarian, surveillance state like Israel, and we are against this policy.
CPIML General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya condemned the repression of citizens in Delhi in a statement and said, “Right now a genocide is being inflicted on the people of Gaza by the Israeli forces. From occupation Israel is now moving towards decimation of Gaza and extermination of the Palestinian people. While debates can go on about the Israel-Palestine conflict, there can be no prevarication on the absolute urgency to stop this genocide, enforce peace and save lives. For far too long Israel has been violating every single UN resolution on Palestine and every tenet of international rule of law and justice. In the name of combating Hamas, the Netanyahu government cannot be allowed to destroy Palestinian lives with impunity. Across Europe and America we see massive marches and meetings demanding peace in Palestine, but citizens of Delhi who had assembled at Jantar Mantar to amplify this global voice for peace, dignity and rights of the Palestinian people were detained by the Delhi Police. The Indian people's solidarity with the Palestinian people cannot be silenced through coercion.”
Bengaluru
Bengaluru citizens raised their voice against Israel's genocidal war on Gaza and were detained from MG road by Bangaluru police for protesting and distributing pamphlets condemning the genocide of Palestinians.
Clifton D' Rozario condemned the arrests and repression saying standing against Israeli occupation is about humanity and we must stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine and Gaza, reiterating our demand of ending the occupation of Palestine.
Patna
A citizens’ protest was held in Patna on 15 October which was addressed by the leaders of left parties and many prominent citizens. This was addressed by Dipankar Bhattacharya, Arun Mishra of CPIM, Sarvoday Sharma, Gazanfar Nawab of CPI, Mina Tiwari of AIPWA, Shashi Yadav, Afzal Hussain, Abhyuday, Vishwajit Kumar and Manoj Chandravanshi.
Condemning the brutal aggression and genocide by Israel, protesters reiterated Palestininans’ right to their homeland. They condemned the BJP’s attempts to use this grave humanitarian crisis for spreading hate against muslims and demanded the Modi government stand in favour of Palestinian people. Hundreds of people joined this protest.
Comrade Dipankar said that Gaza today has been turned into an open jail where children, elderly and women are facing brutal bombing by Israel. The water supply and electricity has been disconnected while medicines and other essential needs have been stopped. This is a huge genocide similar to what jews had faced in Hitler’s Germany. Now Israel wants to completely wipe out the existence of Palestine which must be resisted by the whole world.
He called it quite unfortunate that our prime minister, who had not uttered a word for the people of Manipur, spared no time tweeting for Israel. The Modi government has turned its back on the massive humanitarian crisis in Palestine. He criticised BJP’s false propaganda against Palestine and said that the BJP people keep on falsely boasting of Modi’s vishwaguru power who could stop war in Ukraine and also has a very good friendship with Israel. If they believe it’s really true then why can’t they ask Modi to make any effort for establishing peace in Gaza and Palestine, he asked sarcastically?
CPIM leader Arun Mishra condemned the Israeli attack and BJP’s propaganda of falsely equating Hamas attack with past terrorist attacks in India. He said that Modi is using these heinous attacks by Israel to foment Islamophobia in India.
Gazanfar Nawab of CPI warned the Indian government saying we must not become complicit in Israel’s war crimes. Indian foreign policy must work in the direction of political resolution of the crisis, establishment of a sovereign homeland for Palestinians and immediate ceasefire in Gaza strip.
Ranchi
A protest was held in Ranchi by trade unions and farmers’ organisations at Albert Ekka Chowk organised by AICCTU, AITUC, Kisan Sabha and AIPF. A memorandum was dispatched to the government of India demanding to work for establishing peace in Palestine. Subhendu Sen, AICCTU, said India must not stand with the perpetrators of genocide. Kisan Sabha’s Jharkhand president Mahendra Pathak termed the killings in Gaza a blot on the whole of humanity. Bhuvaneshwar Kewat, Nadim Khan, Sarita Tigga and many others also expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine.
