Mumbai: A massive protest expressing solidarity with Palestine amidst its war with Israel was held at the YMCA ground in Agripada on Saturday. At least 20,000 people participated in the protest, organised by the Mumbai Citizens’ Forum, which comprises a number of citizens’ groups.
“We are here to protest against the way Israel is killing innocent people, and the way people are watching it happen without saying a word,” said participant Farook Mapkar. “As a country, we should stand against those who are being oppressed and raise our voice so that the atrocities end,” said fellow participant Fahad Ahmed, who was from the Samajwadi Party.
Saturday’s gathering at Agripada was the latest in a number of pro-Palestine protests held in Mumbai since the beginning of the Israel-Palestine war. It was preceded by a protest at Azad Maidan on Friday, which was organised by the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). Permissions for the protest were granted to VBA after its president and BR Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar requested them from chief minister Eknath Shinde, said organisers.
One of the first pro-Palestine protests in the city was held on October 13 in Govandi, which led to the arrest of two activists, Ruchir and Supreeth. A protest held in Mira Road on November 2 also resulted in similar consequences. “There was sloganeering, and the women were vociferous in speaking out against injustice and war,” said Sadique Basha, convener of Haq Hai, a citizens’ group consisting of Muslim women from low-income backgrounds and one of the organisers of the Mira Road protest. On November 7, IIT-Bombay cancelled a lecture by professor Achin Vanaik, known for his pro-Palestine stance.
{{/usCountry}}One of the first pro-Palestine protests in the city was held on October 13 in Govandi, which led to the arrest of two activists, Ruchir and Supreeth. A protest held in Mira Road on November 2 also resulted in similar consequences. “There was sloganeering, and the women were vociferous in speaking out against injustice and war,” said Sadique Basha, convener of Haq Hai, a citizens’ group consisting of Muslim women from low-income backgrounds and one of the organisers of the Mira Road protest. On November 7, IIT-Bombay cancelled a lecture by professor Achin Vanaik, known for his pro-Palestine stance.
{{/usCountry}}Given the clamp down on protests, Mumbaikars found novel ways of standing with beleaguered Palestinians. A prayer meet was held at Juhu beach in the early hours of November 14, at the behest of The Solidarity Movement, an Instagram-based online community. The event did not have any official permission, and participants did not carry any marker of their inclination such as placards, signboards or slogans; instead, they read out the names of civilians killed in the war.
On November 29, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, over 150 actors across five venues in Aram Nagar, Andheri participated in The Gaza Monologues.
“It was very heart felt, heavy and contemplative, yet an atmosphere of togetherness and camaraderie prevailed,” said Atul Kumar, a director-actor-producer and one of the organisers. “Our aim was to be a voice of togetherness with the suffering of the Palestinian people; to let them know that we may be far, but we stand with them in their loss and pain.”
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