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Hyderabad activists appeal for a ‘Free Palestine,’ total boycott of Israel

Hyderabad: The ‘Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine’ and ‘In Defense of Reason’ have called for a complete boycott of Israel including diplomatic, cultural, academic and economic boycott, especially products of companies including but not limited to Mcdonald’s, Starbucks, Tata, Reliance, and Mahindra, which are indirectly funding the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza by the Israeli government.

On Saturday, August 9, a program titled ‘Gaza Today: What can we Indians do?’ was organised at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Bagh Lingampally, to express India’s solidarity with Palestine.

It was attended by authors, poets, veteran and dormant activists, and student activists from different parts of Hyderabad.

The speakers raised grave concerns over the humanitarian crisis prevailing in Gaza, in the wake of an ongoing genocidal war that Israel has been waging since the past 22 months.

The speakers at the event stated that more than 60,000 people have been killed in Gaza, and lakhs of people were rendered missing and displaced from a state, where severe famine, hunger, starvation and malnutrition were rampant.

The children and women were found to be the most victimised in the crisis.

It was stressed that what Israel has been doing in Gaza could in no way be termed as self-defense, as it has been known to be among the worst forms of settler colonialism, as the state of Israel has been built by occupying the Palestinian land and resources.

The speakers stated that the people of Palestine have been waging their national liberation struggle against the illegal and brazen occupation of their country by the Israeli forces.

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The speakers argued that being a victim of colonialism for over two centuries, India’s natural solidarity needed to be with Palestine, also reminding that historically, India has been a supporter of the Palestinian cause since it’s freedom struggle against the British.

Germanten Hospital

Remembering that freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru were staunch supporters of the Palestinians’ struggle, the speakers also pointed out that even after India got freedom the country’s support for Palestine was widespread in India.

However, the speakers felt that in the last few decades, and especially during the last decade of the Modi regime, a clear tilt towards the Zionist Israel was being witnessed, which they felt, was disturbing.

On behalf of ‘Indian people in solidarity with Palestine’, Bhargavi drew the attention of the people towards the ongoing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel, that calls for a complete boycott of Israel.

The speakers felt the need to mobilise the common people of India for not only expressing solidarity with Palestine in line with the global solidarity movement, but also to take steps to pressurise the Indian government and the global powers, to declare Palestine a ‘Free State.’

A documentary titled ‘Thirst Among the Ruins,’ depicting the devastation caused by the Israeli genocidal war in Gaza, and the prevailing humanitarian crisis was screened during the program.

Many participants recited poems written by Palestinian and Indian poets in Telugu, Hindi and English languages, expressing the solidarity with the heroic resistance of the Palestinian people, despite all odds.

As part of this program, various kinds of activities such as talks and discussion, documentary screening, poetry recital, singing of songs and exhibition of art works were held.

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Besides, various art works, paintings and posters depicting different aspects of Israeli occupation and Palestinian resistance were also displayed.

The program ended with the performance of a song called ‘Long Live Palestine,’ which stressed upon the global solidarity towards the Palestinian people, in their struggle against imperialism.


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