The Crossbill News Desk
Delhi Police on Friday (August 9) detained prominent activists, including economist Jean Dreze and Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Annie Raja, for a peaceful display of solidarity with the people of Palestine at the APJ Abdul Kalam crossing in New Delhi. Despite having informed the police about their protest, the march was halted as it moved from Khan Market towards the Israeli Embassy, news website The Wire reported.
The march, which called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, was attended by social scientists and activists who urged the Indian government to sever all ties with Israel, in response to the country's recent attacks and genocide on Palestinian soil, which began after a Hamas strike on October 7.
“We did not even shout slogans, but were standing silently with banners but unfortunately, police detained us,” The Wire quoted Dreze as saying.
In a statement following their detention by the police, the demonstrators said, “(The) Indian government along with some public and private sector companies’ complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza is well known. We have heard of Adani Defence and Aerospace Ltd., but there are other culprits as well – Munitions India and Premier Explosive, in addition to the government itself which has approved not just the provision of militarised cargo to Israel but also the shipment of Indian workers to Israel, a move that puts their lives at risk.”
According to The Wire, the protesters highlighted that India is bound by international laws and treaties that prohibit supplying military weapons to countries involved in war crimes. They demanded an immediate halt to arms supplies to Israel and called for the suspension of all official ties between India and Israel for the time being.
“Under the Genocide Convention, which India has signed and ratified, India is required to take all possible steps to prevent genocide. This means that India cannot export military equipment or weapons to Israel if there’s a serious risk that these weapons might be used to commit war crimes,” the statement of the protesters stated.
The march, which called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, was attended by social scientists and activists who urged the Indian government to sever all ties with Israel, in response to the country's recent attacks and genocide on Palestinian soil, which began after a Hamas strike on October 7.
“We did not even shout slogans, but were standing silently with banners but unfortunately, police detained us,” The Wire quoted Dreze as saying.
In a statement following their detention by the police, the demonstrators said, “(The) Indian government along with some public and private sector companies’ complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza is well known. We have heard of Adani Defence and Aerospace Ltd., but there are other culprits as well – Munitions India and Premier Explosive, in addition to the government itself which has approved not just the provision of militarised cargo to Israel but also the shipment of Indian workers to Israel, a move that puts their lives at risk.”
According to The Wire, the protesters highlighted that India is bound by international laws and treaties that prohibit supplying military weapons to countries involved in war crimes. They demanded an immediate halt to arms supplies to Israel and called for the suspension of all official ties between India and Israel for the time being.
“Under the Genocide Convention, which India has signed and ratified, India is required to take all possible steps to prevent genocide. This means that India cannot export military equipment or weapons to Israel if there’s a serious risk that these weapons might be used to commit war crimes,” the statement of the protesters stated.
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