Agra — A 22-year-old Muslim youth from Agra, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested and later sent to jail after he waved a Palestinian flag during a Muharram procession, prompting outrage and debate over freedom of expression and growing state action against pro-Palestinian sentiments in India, reported the Times of India.
The accused, Aman Khan, was arrested by police on Monday morning after a video surfaced on social media showing him waving the Palestinian flag during a religious procession at Ghat Tiraha in Nagla Fatoori, near the Yamuna Bridge crossing, under Etmadullah Police Station limits.
The video, uploaded from a Facebook account bearing Khan’s name, was captioned “Muharram Agra 9th” and featured the Palestinian flag prominently. Police stated that the flag had also been digitally altered in the video. The post has since been taken down by authorities.
Police officials said Khan was arrested under sections 170 and 126 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS), relating to the prevention of cognisable offences and breach of public peace. “Aman Khan admitted to his actions and apologized at the police station,” an officer from Etmadullah Police Station stated.
He was produced before a magistrate and subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
This arrest comes amid a broader pattern of repression against pro-Palestine expressions across India, despite the country’s longstanding diplomatic support for the Palestinian cause. Since the escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict in October 2023, Indian authorities have reportedly filed at least 17 FIRs and named over 51 individuals for social media posts or participation in solidarity rallies, with some cases invoking stringent laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Indian government has publicly supported Palestine’s full membership at the United Nations, consistently calling for a two-state solution and condemning civilian casualties in Gaza. India was also the first non-Arab country to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1977 and one of the first to recognize the Palestinian state in 1988.
However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ties between India and Israel have grown significantly stronger—a shift that many believe is impacting domestic responses to expressions of Palestinian solidarity.
The backdrop of this incident is the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Since October 7, 2023, over 57,418 Palestinians have been killed and 136,261 wounded in Israeli attacks, with many bodies still buried under rubble or inaccessible due to blockades and strikes.
Despite India’s diplomatic stance, the growing crackdown on symbolic gestures like waving the Palestinian flag raises critical questions about civil liberties, religious freedom, and political expression in the world’s largest democracy.
