Hundreds of people in the area with a majority of Muslims come to the streets to protest Israel’s Gaza war and the death of Hassan Nasrallah.
Prominent pro-India politicians have halted their campaigning for the upcoming regional elections in response to the hundreds of demonstrators who have gathered in Indian-administered Kashmir to condemn the Israeli killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the streets over the weekend, brandishing posters of the Lebanese leader and yelling, “Oh martyrs of Palestine, we are with you!” They held up banners and slogans with anti-Israel and anti-American sentiments.
The Lebanese armed organization revealed on Saturday that Nasrallah was killed on Friday in the Dahiyeh area of southern Beirut. This was a major setback for the group that has been battling Israel across the border since October.
A 25-year-old college student named Abbas Ali told Al Jazeera that Nasrallah had stood up against injustice and persecution during his protests on Saturday in Srinagar, the country’s capital.
Ali told Al Jazeera, “We despise the world leaders who remain silent as the bloodshed in Gaza and Lebanon continues.”
“This protest is not only in support of our beloved leader Hassan Nasrallah, but also for Palestine, Lebanon, and all those who suffer at the hands of tyrants, especially Israel. Despite the injustice and fear we experience on a daily basis, Kashmir has always stood up for justice for the Palestinian people and will do so in the future. We can’t remain silent indefinitely.
Twenty-year-old Amal Mirza, who participated in demonstrations in the city’s Saida Kadal neighborhood, told Al Jazeera, “We will not remain silent no matter what Israel does.”
“We are terrified of remaining silent, not of dying. We support those who are oppressed.
A demonstration at Imam Bargah Zadibal in Srinagar on Sunday evening has been called by the All Jammu and Kashmir Shia Association (AJKSA), a coalition of Shia organizations.
“We pay tribute to the life and legacy of Syed Hassan Nasrallah, recalling his steadfast determination, astute leadership, and empathy. Imran Ansari, a prominent Shia leader, stated that “his martyrdom will not diminish our resolve to strive for justice and equality.”
Hundreds of police officers have been stationed in areas with a Shia majority in order to maintain law and order during the ongoing protest demonstrations.
Despite the government’s criminalization of pro-Palestine demonstrations, the solidarity demonstrations have been organized, especially since the region’s semi-autonomous status was taken away in 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government.
Kashmiris have historically shown support for Palestinians in their struggle against Israeli occupation, which the International Court of Justice has ruled is illegal.
India’s traditional stance on the decades-long Israel-Palestine issue has changed under Modi, as seen by the Indian corporations who supplied Israel with weapons and other economic goods during the 11-month war on Gaza.
Numerous political and religious figures in the area voiced their sorrow at the murder, and others chose to “mark of protest” by suspending their campaigns on Sunday.
For the first time since 2014, elections for the local legislative assembly are being held in the Muslim-majority region of India.
In a territory where there have been decades of armed revolt against Indian control, Kashmiris are incensed at Modi’s tough measures to integrate Kashmir with mainland India.
Mehbooba Mufti, the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party and a former chief minister, declared she was scrapping her campaign for the run-off election “in solidarity with the martyrs of Lebanon and Gaza especially Hassan Nasrallah.”
She commented on X, “In this hour of immense grief & exemplary resistance, we stand with the people of Palestine & Lebanon.”
The campaign of Kashmiri parliamentarian Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, who was promoting National Conference party candidates, was also put on hold.
“I ended the election campaign because the Muslim ummah, or the Muslim community worldwide, is grieving right now.”
Former chief minister Omar Abdullah, deputy president of the Jammu Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), also denounced Israel’s conduct.
JKNC’s account stated on X that “JKNC VP Omar Abdullah condemns the actions of Israel and calls for world support to end the ongoing massacre of innocent people in Gaza and Lebanon.”
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