By Shaik Zakeer Hussain, TwoCircles.net,
Bangalore: A massive protest was held in front of Town Hall here in Bangalore, adding voice to a growing number of protests around the world against Israel’s aggressive military offensive on Gaza, Palestine.
The protest on Thursday was organised by Peoples’ Solidarity Concerns with Mission Possible, and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Karnataka joining in, to push for boycotts, divestments and sanctions against Israel, and also to primarily call for an end to Israel’s offensive against the civilians of Palestine, Mr. Umar Shariff of Mission Possible told TCN.
The protesters expressed their anger against the killing of hapless civilians of Gaza, and showed their solidarity with the Palestinian people by raising pro-Palestine and anti-Israel slogans.
Mr. Shariff said the day was started off by his team of volunteers spreading across the city, wearing t-shirts bearing the flag of Palestine with the slogan, ‘Stop Israel, Save Palestine,’ and distributed flyers creating awareness about the situation in Gaza and the history of the Palestine-Israel conflict. He said, “We spoke to people irrespective of their religion, because this issue should not only concern Muslims, but all peace loving human beings”. He said over 50 thousand such flyers were distributed among the public.
Mr. Jagadish Chandra of Peoples’ Solidarity Concerns, called for the immediate stop of military offensive against the population of Gaza, and called for the end to its blockade. He also urged people to show restraint in their slogans, and said that this campaign is not against every Israeli, as there are many of them who are against the atrocities unleashed by their government against the Palestinians.
Mr. Akbar Ali, state President of Welfare Party of India said the circumstances in Gaza are worsening, and called for people of all faiths to come together to voice out their anger against the killings of civilian population. “Why is our Prime Minister Mr. Modi still silent on this issue, and how many deaths of innocent lives before our country condemns Israel,” he asked.
Speakers from different organisations, including Dr. Taha Mateen from Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Karnataka, called on the government of India to oppose the invasion.
The speakers urged the Indian government to cut down diplomatic ties and suspension of all free trade and bilateral agreements with Israel. They called for the immediate international protection of the civilians of Gaza, trials for war crimes against Israeli leaders and boycott of Israeli products.
Though there was intermittent confusion with members of different groups raising varying slogans, and trying to make their banners and names stand out, however, the largely peaceful event went on smoothly with children, women, students and activists from civil society and religious groups joining together, despite their apparent religious and ideological differences.