Mumbai: Hindu groups have asked the Mumbai police to ban a rally at Azad Maidan on Wednesday by the India-Palestine Solidarity Forum to protest against the Israeli seize of Gaza.
Leftist parties, including the Communist Party of India, and Dalit organisations, are part of the planned rally.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have asked the police to cancel permissions for the programme. The groups have threatened to hold counter rallies to oppose the Palestinian supporters if the police does not stop the gathering.
"They live here, eat here, and cry for Palestine. If they get permission, we will also organise programmes in support of Israel across Mumbai. After that, if any law and order situation us created, we will not be responsible for that," said Gautam Ravaria Konkan province co-convenor of the Bajrang Dal.
"These are the same ones who never had the guts or will to come out when Pahalgam happened," said Shriraj Nair, spokesperson, VHP, who added that if the Mumbai police does not ensure ensure this event does not happen, the Bajrang Dal will be forced to come out in solidarity with Israel who are victims of terrorism.
Feroze Mithiborewala, founder-president of the India-Palestine Solidarity Forum, said they are meeting the Azad Maidan police on Tuesday afternoon for formal permissions. "It is a protest at Azad Maidan. We will meet the police and ask for permission. We will definitely gather at Azad Maidan," said Mithiborewala, who added that they will ask police for permission under section 149 of the IPC, which prohibits large gatherings in certain circumstances.
The rally has been planned to mark the 'National Day of Solidarity with Palestine'. The participants have condemned the siege on Gaza and want the Indian government to change its stand on the issue, which they said is a turnaround from its earlier support to the Palestinians.
