Amid tight security and strong barricades, several Muslim organisations and social activists protested against barbaric assault on Palestinians by Israeli forces and expressed solidarity with the people of Gaza in the national capital on 18 July.
Referring to passive response of the international community and conspicuous silence of the Indian government, Nusrat Ali, Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind addressing the protestors said that those who remain silent on the atrocities are also a party to that assault and crime.
Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, President All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, popularly known as an authority on the Palestinian and Middle East issues, while addressing the gathering, said that over the years America has used the Palestinian land as a laboratory ground to test and experiment their unused weapons with the help of Israel and categorically said that unless and until the blockade ends there cannot be any solution or respite in the troubled region and urged the United Nations Organisation to immediately intervene in order to defuse the ongoing crisis.
Hundreds of protestors through placards voiced their sentiments, anguish and sympathy and shouted slogans to drag the attention of the Indian government and world community who have maintained stoic silence and are mute spectators to the bloodsheds on the Palestinian land. Among the protestors, Ejaz Ahmed who had come to protest from Shaheen Bagh told Radiance thatit is the need of the hour for people across sections from all over India to voice their sentiments against the brutal killings of the Gazans. “I am also here to raise my voice against barbaric assault on the people of Gaza by Israel. We the believers of Islam are justice seeking people and thereby should protest in large numbers.” On the role of the Indian government, he said that on the basis of morality and without doing diplomacy the government must raise its voice against the massacre going on.
Another protestor, Mohammad Zaki, a student of Jamia, while speaking to Radiance said that the numbers of protestors are thin as compared to the crisis because even in countries like the UK, people have come out in large numbers to protest and therefore people should come in large numbers to voice their sentiments and put pressure on the establishment.
Afaq Haider, a journalist present at the protest site, talking to Radiance said that the government has to take a stand what Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru had had on the Palestinian issue. Since France is for the French Palestine must be only for Palestinians and not in any way for Israel. He said India is the land of Gandhi and the government must take stand what Mahatma had on the Palestinian issue.
SQR Ilyas, General Secretary, Welfare Party of India, and Mohammad Ahmed, Secretary, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind also addressed the gathering.
After two-hour long peaceful protest which was addressed by dozens of social activists, a memorandum addressed to Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General, United Nations Organisation was submitted at its India office demanding to convene a Special Session of the UN General Assembly to condemn the Israeli aggression and to ask it in the strongest possible words to halt the attack immediately, to lift the siege and blockade of Gaza continuing for years, to constitute a committee to evaluate the loss to civilians and civilian infrastructure, make Israel accountable for all the civilian losses and compel her to compensate the losses fully and ensure that Israel abides by international laws, agreements and conventions. The memorandum also urged the UN to reach out to the Gaza people with all necessary relief and rehabilitation material.
Groups jointly protested were All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Welfare Party of India, Majlis-e- Ulema-e-Hind, Socialist Party of India, Lok Raj Sangthan, Ambedkar Samaj Party, Forum for Democracy and Communal Harmony, Jamiat Ahl-e- Hadees, Students Islamic Organisation of India and National Conference of Shia Ulema.