A significant gathering of approximately 600 people from across Karnataka convened at Freedom Park on Saturday to voice their opposition to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and the recent bombings in Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, and Syria.
The protestors demanded that both the Indian and Karnataka governments sever ties with Israel, accusing them of complicity in the ongoing genocide of Palestinians.
Organized by Bengaluru for Peace and Justice, the rally drew participants from various sectors, including citizens, student activists, women’s rights organizations, farmers’ associations, and trade unions. The demonstrators highlighted the staggering humanitarian toll in Palestine, with an estimated 186,000 Palestinians killed, including over 16,500 children, and millions displaced from their homes.
Addressing the gathering, Aishwarya R. from PUCL-K criticized the Bengaluru police for threatening to file FIRs against those hoisting the Palestinian flag. She emphasized the symbolic significance of the flag and distributed watermelons to counter the threats, as the fruit’s colors resemble the Palestinian flag.
Sachin from AISA linked the ongoing conflicts to imperialism, pointing to Israel’s attacks on multiple Middle Eastern countries. He lauded the Palestinian resistance and denounced the Karnataka Police’s fear of the Palestinian flag as a sign of support for the genocidal state.
Shri Lakshmi from Students for People’s Democracy expressed concern over the attacks on educational institutions in Gaza and called for increased student solidarity. She criticized the Indian government’s suppression of voices of solidarity across universities.
Other speakers echoed similar sentiments, condemning India’s military collaborations with Israel and urging the government to take a stronger stance against the violence. Prakash from CPI(M) criticized the shift in India’s policies under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the increased military cooperation with Israel, including the controversial Pegasus spyware deal.
Yusuf Kanni from Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Karnataka condemned the widespread loss of lives and humanitarian crises faced by Palestinians and neighboring countries. He called for a complete academic and cultural boycott of all state-run Israeli institutions.
The protest group issued a set of demands, including a complete embargo on Israel, the withdrawal of Indian workers from Israel, an end to military and surveillance technology collaborations with Israeli companies, and an immediate cessation of ties with Israeli institutions. They also called for the termination of training programs involving Indian police and security forces and an end to joint operations.
