Left parties hold protest in Delhi in solidarity with Palestine

New Delhi, Oct 9 (PTI) Left parties held a protest here on Thursday in solidarity with Palestinians and urged the Centre to end all defence deals with Israel and support the independence of Palestine.

Scores of members of the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, RSP, AIFB and the Communist Gadar Party of India participated in the protest held at Jantar Mantar.

"It has been two years since the current attack on Palestine started.... But it is wrong to say it has been only two years. The attacks started when Israel was formed and has been continuing ever since," Communist Party of India (Marxist) Politburo member R Arun Kumar said.

"Without US support, Israel would not have dared to do this," he added.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Amarjit Kaur accused the BJP-led Centre of "colluding" with Israel.

"The Left forces and the peace-loving people of India believe that the (Narendra) Modi government should take a position to support Palestine, and we should not have any trade relations with Israel," Kaur said.

She also claimed that the Centre is scared, citing climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's arrest under the National Security Act (NSA).

"Sonam Wangchuk is also in jail.... This is to send out the message that this is what will happen if anyone raises their voice against the government. The government is scared after what happened in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal," she said.

All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) general secretary G Devarajan slammed Israel over the deaths of children in Gaza.

"Why are children being killed? They do not want any future generations to be left in Palestine, that is why they are attacking women and children," he said.

Ravi Rai of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation said the continued attacks create the impression that Israel wants to erase Gaza and Palestine from the world map.

"Palestine is not just a piece of land, it has a place in our hearts.... It offers a hope for the fight for humanity, it is the face of humanity which will never be erased," he said.

"If the Indian government does not take a stand on this issue, it will appear that the Modi government does not have the courage to speak against injustice," he added.

Rai accused the Centre of acting under pressure from the United States.

CPI(M) Delhi state secretariat member Siddheshwar Shukla said the protest was aimed at sending out the message that the people of India are standing in solidarity with Palestine.

"The way Palestine is being attacked over the last few years, the way innocent people, women and children are being killed, this protest is being held to express solidarity with the people of Palestine. We are saying that the people of India are with the people of Palestine," he said.

CPI(M) leader Maimoona Mollah said they are urging the Centre to take a stand in support of Palestine.

"A genocide has been going on in Gaza for the last two years. Women, children, doctors, journalists, common people -- all are being killed. No amount of protest has any impact on Israel. People across the world are raising their voice against this. Even in the US and Israel, people are protesting against the action in Gaza," she said.

"The Israeli government, backed by the US, is not concerned. We want this attack to stop, aid should be allowed to reach Gaza, the flotillas that are going should be allowed to reach. This is against international law, Palestinians have the right to live," Mollah said.

"Our appeal to the government is to stop all defence deals with Israel and support Palestine," she added. PTI AO RC