At about 10:45 am on Saturday, under the scorching sun, hundreds of students and activists with Palestinian flags and slogans of “ceasefire now” crowded Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in solidarity with Palestine and to protest the “war crimes” unfolding in Gaza.
As the red, white, black, and green flags of Palestine fluttered in the hot breeze, several activists and politicians, including CPIM leaders Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat, addressed the crowd about the violence in Gaza, demanding that the Indian government stop its arms supply to Israel. They also raised questions over the government’s decision to send Indian construction workers to the West Asian country.
With the continued war in Gaza, its blockade and bombing by the Israeli forces over the past eight months, over 36,000 Palestinians including more than 15,000 children and women have been killed. In a recent offensive, Israel struck tents accommodating displaced people in the Tal as-Sultan area of Gaza’s Rafah, designated as a “safe zone”. It killed more than 45 people, many of them children. The region is also facing acute food shortages. Amid this, several EU countries including Spain, Norway and Ireland have recognised the state of Palestine, and an overwhelming number of UN signatory countries have called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
To protest the continued war and demand corresponding action by the Indian government, the CPIM’s Palestine Solidarity Committee organised the protest in Delhi, along with students’ groups, women’s organisations and workers’ groups, such as AISA and SFI, CITU, AIDWA, IFTU and RWPI.
Speaking to Newslaundry, CPIM politburo member Brinda Karat called Israel’s actions in Gaza “the worst form of genocide”. “We are here to demand a ceasefire. We are here to demand an end to the genocide.”
On the Modi government’s actions in connection with the Gaza-Israel crisis, Karat said “From India, we are sending armed drones to Israel. Those drones are being used to bomb innocent people. We are here to call out the shameful attitude of the Government of India against all traditions of India-Palestine relations.”
When asked about the media coverage of the issue, the CPIM leader said, “It’s really pathetic. We are witnessing the worst kind of genocide…and the world is watching. But the Indian media is not covering it at all. Even BBC and CNN are doing a better job than the Indian media.”
Deshdeep Sahadev, a professor, who was also attending the protest, said, “These Palestinians have been given a pretty rough deal. What changed on October 7 is that it brought the Palestinian issue right to the forefront. This issue has split the Americans. For the first time since the 60s, Americans are split, universities have risen up. The Israeli-US narrative has been completely debunked.” He added that the Indian media’s coverage of the war is “disastrous” and full of “misinformation”.
Shabana Hasan, a CPIM worker, said the protest was being organised because the Palestinians are “going through the worst things possible. Little children are being starved, they are being denied even water.”
Hasan said while Israel does not want people to “find out about the scale of the oppression” in Palestine, “truth cannot be hidden for long with social media. Most people these days do not follow TV, we look at social media”.
Nawaz, who is not affiliated with any organisation but was attending the protest, said, “Even expressing solidarity in India is feared. We don't miss a chance to go to the events in solidarity with Palestine because there are only a few happening.”
The youth also questioned the government’s stance on the issue. He said, “We [Indian government] have supported Palestine always, now why are you changing it? Now, you’re supporting Israel, sending Indian people to Israel. Why are you sending your own workers to a warzone? You are not stopping companies from investing in [Israel]?”
Saba, another youth at the protest, said, “We have a history of colonialism, we fought for our freedom, but we are supporting Israel today. We must oppose all genocides. Government should express solidarity.
Ishwar, 27, who had also joined the protest, said, “The way humanity is being destroyed, we must fight against that…Indian media is completely focussed on the elections, but they must talk about this [Israel-Palestine] crisis too.”
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