The round-the-clock protest square organised by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Kerala at Ernakulam Marine Drive against the butchery of democracy in Egypt turned into a venue of Solidarity towards democratic struggles. The protest square reminded one of the Jasmine Revolution that spread across the West Asia against the autocratic regimes. The unprecedented protest began at 10 am on 3 August and continued till the early hours of next day i.e. 4 August 2013.
A view of participants at the protest square
The Protest Square was in solidarity with the agitation against the Military Coup in Egypt, in which hundreds of thousands converged in protest and prayer at Egypt’s Raba Al Adawiya Square during the days and nights of Ramadhan.
Thousands, including women and children, flocked to Ernakulam Marine Drive despite heavy rains. As it was Ramadhan they broke fast, said night prayers and ate pre-dawn meal (sehr)together. All the state leaders including JIH Kerala Ameer, T Arifali, were present throughout the sit-in.
Prominent members from socio-political and cultural spheres visited the square and addressed the gathering in solidarity with the cause espoused. Noted poems including those by the Arabic poet Nisar Kabbani were recited on the occasion. The anti-imperialistic and anti-coup sloganeering in between the proceedings proved inspiring to the Protest Square.
JIH Kerala Ameer opined that what is happening in Egypt is the unholy nexus between organised capitalism and communism. The Left’s take on the overthrow of democratically elected government by the military junta in Egypt is a betrayal of the fight against imperialism.
Just because the Left parties of Egypt are aligned with the military junta in Egypt, certain Left forces in Kerala are supporting the military coup. Few others deceptively support the military by stating that they are with the people. Morsi’s party, which won 236 seats, has been removed from power while the Left party which won a mere 16 seats has become part of the ruling establishment. After removing Morsi, who received 51% of votes, Elbaradei who won just 1.5% of votes was made the Vice-President.
People of Kerala have always positively reacted to international events in an anti- imperialistic manner rising above the ideological differences. That is how Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Saddam Hussein and Yasser Arafat had become election issues in Kerala. Deliberate silence maintained by many democrats of Kerala about the imperialistic intervention in Egypt is obviously due to Islamophobia.
The square is a creative manifestation of protest against this silence. America has always justified the military invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq as interventions in support of furthering democracy. This same America is today supporting the Egyptian military in subverting democracy. We need to understand the double standards of imperialistic powers while dealing with Islamists.
What is strange is the pro-imperialistic attitude of Leftists. He further added that the Protest Square is the reflection of Kerala’s public conscience against the imperialistic conspiracy in Egypt and this is quite evident from the presence of so many socio-religious and political leaders who represent varied ideologies.
Renowned Jurist VR Krishna Iyer, while addressing the protest meet, emphatically termed the butchery of democracy in Egypt, the ancient the centre of human civilization, as unacceptable. The fact that over 300 persons striving for the return of democracy have been killed is highly depressing. He further stated in no uncertain terms that the struggle of Egyptians will have the full backing of the Indian society.
Justice PK Shamsudheen, MI Shanawas MP, Advocate KNA Kader MLA, K Anwer Sadat MLA, Dr. Sebastian Paul, CK Abdul Azeez, Prof. Aravindakshan, Dr. Vincent, KK Baburaj, KC Varghese, KK Kochu, State President of ISM Abdul Majeed Swalahi, Kodungaloor Cheraman Masjid Imam KM Suleiman Mawlavi, Thejus Editor MP Chekutty, TN Joy, INL State General Secretary Prof. AP Abdul Wahab, PDP State General Secretary Mohammed Rajeeb, Advocate NM Siddique, Kerala Jammiyathul Ulama Vice President CM Mawlavi, Kerala Muslim Jamaat Federation State Secretary Advocate KP Mohammed, Noted Documentary Producer P Baburaj, Dr. Aziz Taruvana, Swami Viswabhadrananda Shakti Bodhi, Solidarity State President T. Mohammed Velam, SIO State President S Irshad, GIO State President P Ruksana, Sheikh Mohammed Karakunu and JIH State General Secretary P Mujeeb Rahman addressed the gathering in solidarity with the cause espoused.
Solidarity messages from Kaldaya Syrian Church Metropolitan Mar Aprem, RSP leader and Former Minister NK Premachandran Calicut University Former VC and Historian Dr. KKN Kurup and noted Literary figure C Radhakrishnan were read out to the audience.
[The writer is Media Secretary, JIH Kerala. He can be contacted at [email protected]]