With echoing sound of anti-coup slogans and showing pro-democracy placards, hundreds of democracy and justice loving people from different parts of the city as well as from suburban areas assembled at the Egyptian embassy at Chanakya Puri in the national capital on 23 August. The police personnel assigned to keep vigil on the peaceful protestors seemed embarrassed when they saw dozens of buses over-packed with enthusiastic fellows – men and women, young and old – zooming in towards the site, and they asked the head office to send one more company of battalion so as to prevent any untoward incident which never took place during the protest hours.
When the Welfare Party of India, which spearheaded the protest march, took the decision to lodge a protest over massacre of civilians at the hands of the army, had hardly thought that a sea of people would gather at its call and that too on a very short notice. This only is enough for one to guess how deeply Indian citizens are concerned over the “murder of democracy” in Egypt. “Among many reasons that made us raise our voice for the democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, is that India is the second largest democracy in the world and to stand against any act to suppress the same is one of the primary duties of every Indian,” said Mujtaba Farooq, National President Welfare Party of India while addressing the gathering. He added, “As Egyptian Army is an extension of the American forces, we demand the USA to send its Army to the barrack and reinstate the legitimate president.”
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan, president All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, said, “Our demand from the Government of India is to break its silence and condemn the development in strongest words. Also, it should throw out the Egyptian Ambassador from the country and recall Indian Ambassador from Egypt.” Around 6000 people have been killed at the hands of military since 3 July—the day it grabbed power by overthrowing the elected government— and the numbers of seriously injured and arrested people are close to 15000 and 10000 respectively according to some rough estimates. The protestors were also shouting slogans against the monarchs of some Gulf States, who have been supporting the military junta in Egypt and extending them billions of US dollars in grant.
Among those who addressed the gathering on the occasion include Mr. Ravi Nair, Executive Director of South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre; Mr. Abdul Waheed, President Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Delhi & Haryana; Maulana Jalal Haidar Naqvi, Joint Secretary Majlis Ulema-e-Hind; Maulana Mohsin Taqawi, Imam Delhi Shia Jama Masjid; Maulana Ataur Rahman Qasmi, Chairman Shah Waliullah Institute; Mr. PMA Salam of Wahdat-e-Islami; Dr. Tasleem Rahmani, President Muslim Political Council of India; Dr. Baseer Ahmad of Indian Union Muslim League; Mr. Sharique Ansar, National Secretary of Students Islamic Organisation of India; Mr. Omair Anas, Chairman Egypt Solidarity Forum; Mr. Irfanullah Khan, Convenor Jamia Nagar Coordination Committee; Ms. Bonu Jyotsna of DSU, JNU, and Dr. SQR Ilyas General Secretary of Welfare Party of India.
A memorandum was also submitted to the Ambassador of Egypt at the end of the demonstration.