In a major turnaround, Mumbai Police has granted permission to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] to hold a peaceful protest at Azad Maidan. The protest will be against what the party calls Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
According to LiveLaw, the decision was recorded by a division bench of the Bombay High Court. The bench comprised Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad. They accepted the Mumbai Police’s statement allowing the demonstration. Azad Maidan is one of Mumbai’s official protest sites.
Earlier, CPI(M) was denied permission to protest at the same venue. The party challenged the refusal in the high court. On July 25, the same bench had dismissed the petition. That decision drew controversy due to remarks advising the party to “look at its own country” instead of issues “thousands of miles away.”
The court had then stated, “Our country has enough issues. We don’t want anything like this. I am sorry to say, you are all short-sighted. You are looking at issues in Gaza and Palestine. Look at your own country. Be patriots. This is not patriotism. People say they are patriots.”
This reversal now clears the way for CPI(M) to express solidarity with Palestinians at Azad Maidan. It is seen as both a legal and political win for the party. It also shows a shift from the earlier judicial stance, which critics said confused patriotism with limiting speech on foreign issues.
The date and scale of the protest are yet to be announced. CPI(M) has confirmed it will be peaceful and within the allowed limits.
