Pro-Palestine Protests In India Despite Police Action

As Israel continues to bomb Palestine, killing thousands, including children, protests are taking place all over the world against the violence. However, in India, pro Palestine protesters are getting arrested, or authorities are filing cases against the people.

On Thursday night (October 12), a 20-year-old Muslim youth from Karnataka's Hospet district was arrested for putting up a WhatsApp status reportedly “supporting” Palestine.

While local news reports stated that the post was “provocative” in nature, photos of his status, however, showed that the youth had only posted a WhatsApp status with a picture of war-torn Palestine with the wordings “— We Stand with Palestine — Palestine Zindabad”.

The man, Alam Basha is a resident of the Hospet (Hosapete) district and was arrested by Vijayanagar Police and kept in custody for almost seven hours, according to reports.

Meanwhile, the police have lodged a suo-moto case under CRPC section 108, Security for good behaviour from persons disseminating seditious matters and 151, arrest to prevent the commission of cognisable offences. The police not only kept Alam Basha, in their custody but also produced him before an executive magistrate, who obtained sureties from his kin.

However, ‘South First’ quoted the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Hosapete Manjunath, who said that there was neither a case registered, nor was anyone taken into custody.

He further said that the youth who had posted WhatsApp status with the Palestinian flag had created “a buzz in the town” after which the seniors from his community had come by and warned him and the matter was resolved.

The action, however, garnered wide criticism from people, on X formerly known as Twitter.

“@RahulGandhi @INCIndia Is this the alternative you want to give to the country?” posted a user.

The Citizen tried to contact the Congress party leaders, who did not respond to the queries on the arrest of the youth.

Meanwhile, reports of pro-Palestine supporters being arrested or harassed by the authorities are also emerging from different parts of the country. Authorities reportedly sealed Jamia Masjid, Kashmir’s largest mosque, in Srinagar on Friday (October 13). Hurriyat leader and chairman of his faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was reportedly put under house arrest.

According to reports, the decision to close the mosque situated in Nowhatta locality of downtown Srinagar was taken due to apprehensions that worshippers might stage protests or take out demonstrations against Israel’s actions in Gaza, and in support of Palestine.

However, demonstrations were carried out in central Kashmir’s Budgam and Kargil district of Ladakh on Friday in protest against Israel’s assault on Gaza following the Hamas attack.

Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian, J&K, a Shia grouping, took out a procession against Israel and the United States and in support of the people of Palestine in Budgam town of central Kashmir on Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, on October 10, four students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) were booked by the Aligarh Police for carrying out a march expressing solidarity with the Palestinians’ resistance movement.

A case has been registered against the four students and others under sections 153A (promoting communal enmity), 188 (disobedience to the order duly promulgated by a public servant), 505 (Intent to incite community or group to commit offence) of Indian penal code.

Despite that, protests in solidarity with Palestine have been taking place in various parts of the country. On Friday, a solidarity gathering was organised by the students of Jamia Millia Islamia .

“The news which is coming from the Western media is completely biased and the Palestinian's struggle can't be defeated by the Zionist regime and Israel is responsible for violating years of humanitarian rights by occupying the lands of Palestinians," Ansab Amir, president of Fraternity movement JMI said.

Meanwhile, a security alert has been sounded in New Delhi in view of potential protests in the national capital, police said.

Delhi Police personnel were reportedly present in greater numbers on the streets on Friday. Security has also been stepped up at Jewish religious establishments and the Israel Embassy. Goa and Maharashtra were also placed on high alert.

This comes after many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany, heightened security around “potential Jewish targets” and "pro-Palestinian protesters". As the situation in Gaza takes a turn for the worse, several protests all over the world have been taking place in solidarity with Palestine.

So far, nearly 1900 Palestinians have died in airstrikes by the Israel government after the Hamas attack. These incloude 614 children and 370 women. The body count is increasing by the day. More than 3,300 Israelis have been injured in the unprecedented assault, with over 350 seriously injured.