Coimbatore: A largescale protest demonstration was held on Sunday evening in the Ukkadam area of Coimbatore, condemning the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in what the organisers described as a “terrorist attack” carried out by the United States and Israel.
The protest was organised by the Coimbatore District Islamic Federation, a coalition of various Jamaats, Islamic movements, and political parties in the district. The demonstration began around 7:00 p.m. in front of Valliammai Bakery in Ukkadam and witnessed the participation of thousands of people from different parts of the city, including community leaders, members of social organisations, Jamaat administrators, and women.
Protesters raised slogans against what they termed the hegemonic policies of the United States and Israel. Holding placards and banners, participants voiced strong opposition to the alleged attack and called for global accountability.
Addressing the gathering, several speakers criticised the reported killing as a violation of international law and human rights. They stated that using military force to assert dominance or suppress a nation’s political stance poses a serious threat to world peace. The speakers also alleged that such actions reflect disregard for human life in pursuit of geopolitical interests.
Some leaders at the event also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Israel, alleging inconsistency in condemning retaliatory actions while not criticising the initial strike. They demanded that the Government of India return an Israeli award conferred on the Prime Minister as a symbolic protest against the alleged attack on Iran.
A notable feature of the protest was the participation of a significant number of women, many of whom attended with their children, expressing solidarity and condemning what they described as injustice.
Representatives from several organisations, including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) Coimbatore, Welfare Party of India (WPI), and other Islamic and political groups, were present and addressed the gathering.
The protest concluded with the adoption of a resolution calling for an end to actions that, according to the organisers, destabilise global peace and undermine international norms, and urging justice for affected nations.
