Thousands of people gathered recently at Aam Khas Ground, Aurangabad to express their solidarity with the people of Palestine and condemnation of Israel’s war crimes. In the wake of the 7th October attack by Hamas, Israel retaliated brutally in violation of all aspects of international law, by attacking the already besieged Gaza Strip. Indiscriminate drone strikes and carpet bombing by Israel has now led to the death toll being more than 11,000 Gazan men, women and children.
The Aurangabad protest was organized by Students Islamic Organization, (SIO) the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami-Hind. Protestors used several creative methods to demonstrate their condemnation, making for powerful visuals. Children and youth dressed themselves up in fake wounds and injuries and made effigies of small corpses to signify the alarming number of child and youth victims in Gaza.
Protestors waved banners and flyers declaring Israel’s actions as genocide and imploring international community to intervene for the sake of humanity and justice.
‘End Israeli aggression, take time-bound measures to end occupation of Palestine’
Over 100 Indians as well as a number of organizations, including labor unions, feminist and civil liberties groups, student organizations, and kisan unions, expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle and their ongoing national cause against Zionist occupation. These groups demanded an immediate ceasefire and time-bound measures to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine. They further urged “all likeminded Indians in the country and in the diaspora to take to the streets,” plan demonstrations, and “spread awareness” on Palestine.
They issued a strongly worded statement on November 4 amid severe repression of pro-Palestine protests across Indian cities, as protestors have been detained, assaulted, and booked under criminal charges by the police. The statement demands “immediate” and “time-bound measures on the ground to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and, in particular, the right of dignified return of those Palestinians dispossessed from their homelands since the 1948 Nakba.”
Immediately Stop Genocide of Palestinians
As the global anger is growing against Israel’s continued aggression on the besieged Gaza since October 7, the Left Parties on November 11 strongly criticized the Modi government for its refusal to join the global call for an immediate ceasefire at the India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.
Left Parties had earlier urged the Modi government to stop endorsing US-Israeli genocide. At the 2+2 dialogue, there was a call for “humanitarian pause”, with India reiterating a 2-State solution. Call for a “pause” and not ceasefire, at this juncture, only legitimises this ongoing Israeli genocide.
They said the Israeli genocide of Palestinians must stop immediately. Only then can a solution emerge.
Delhi HC gives temporary protection to Shahi Masjid Dhaula Kuan
In a major relief, the Delhi High Court in an interim order has directed authorities not to take any action against the over 100-year-old Shahi Masjid, madrasa, and graveyard in Dhaula Kuan until January 31, the next hearing date.While issuing the notice, Justice Prateek Jalan asked the Delhi government’s Religious Committee (Home), the Union Government, Delhi Development Authority, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of the Delhi Cantonment area, and the Delhi Waqf Board to provide their responses on the matter within a four-week time. The next hearing is scheduled for January 31, 2024.
Talking with Radiance, the assistant secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Inam-ur-Rehman, who actively worked with the mosque committee, said that former bureaucrat Haseeb Ahmed, Advocate Rais Ahmed Siddiqui, Advocate Aslam and the entire Waqf Board team also provided full cooperation for filing the petition.