Palakkad, Kerala: Posters of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah displayed at a mosque festival procession in the Palakkad district have sparked controversy.
The banners, labelled 'Tharavadis, Thekkebhagam' (loosely translated as 'Ancestrals, Southside'), were paraded atop elephants by young participants.
The procession, attended by more than 3,000 people, was part of the annual 'Uroos' celebration at a mosque in Thrithala, Palakkad. While the festival itself is a long-standing tradition, the presence of these politically charged banners took centre stage, igniting heated discussions across social media platforms.
Minister MB Rajesh and Congress leader VT Balram were also reportedly present at the event.
Condemning the display at the procession, an X user wrote, "One year ago, when @BJP4Keralam warned against a rally in Kerala where a Hamas leader virtually participated, the LDF govt took no action. Now, in Palakkad, at a Urus festival, terrorists who killed thousands were glorified—pictures of Ismail Haniyeh & Yahya Sinwar were paraded on elephants, where a Communist Minister and a former CONGRESS MLA were also present."
"What message is being sent here? Why is @pinarayivijayan silent again? If he has even an ounce of spine left, take action! If not, just resign and accept that you are a total 'Parajayan'," he added.
Have a look at some other reactions here:
Kerala has previously witnessed pro-Palestine rallies, including the 2023 Kerala University youth festival controversy over the term 'Intifada,' which was later removed from promotions.
In October 2023, former Hamas chief Khaled Mashal addressed a Malappuram rally organized by the Jamaat-e-Islami youth wing. The BJP strongly opposed Hamas leaders' involvement in such events, with Kerala BJP president K Surendran calling it “extremist” and demanding an investigation.
Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack in Israel, was killed by Israeli forces in Rafah in October 2024. In July 2024, Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran when the building he was in was struck, killing him and a bodyguard.
