By Syed Khalique Ahmed
New Delhi: On Sunday, Muslims from Kashmir to Karnataka took out rallies and marches to express grief and anger over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family members in the US-Israeli attacks.
One of the biggest rallies was taken out from Shah-e-Mardan Qabrastan in Jorbagh area of New Delhi, after Iftar (Ramzan fast breaking) and Maghrib(evening prayers). Dressed in black clothes as a mark of mourning, marchers, including men, women, and children, carrying candlelight in their hands, raised slogans like “America Murdabad”, “Israel Murdabad”, “Duniya ka sabse zaleel, Trump aur Israel” (“The most disgraced in the world — Trump and Israel”) and “Tum kitne Husaini maroge, har ghar se Husaini niklenge” (How many Husainis will you kill? From every home, a Husaini will rise,” expressing defiance and resilience. They linked the martyrdom of Ali Khamenei and his family members, besides Iran’s several senior military and strategic experts in the US-Israeli bombings, with Imam Husain, who laid down his life as well as those of his family members for truth and justice in Karbala.
Several protesters carried the pictures of Ali Khamenei in their hands.
Some of the marchers also carried the photos of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their hands, while others were beating the pictures with shoes and slippers, indicating the kind of treatment the US president and Israeli PM deserved for their audacity to attack Iran and assassinate Iran’s top leadership. They also burnt an effigy of Trump. But some of the marchers extinguished it, perhaps to ensure any untoward incident.
Among those who addressed the rally was Shia leader Syed Bahadur Abbas Naqvi. He said the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei amounted to terrorism.
Among the participants in the march was Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa Jan. Talking to mediapersons, he said that what the US and Israel are doing by attacking Iran violates all international laws. He demanded that the attacks on Iran must come to an end immediately.
Earlier in the day, a rally was organised by the All India Shia Council at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. The event was marked by raising of slogans like “America murdabad” and “Netanyahu murdabad”. Addressing the crowd, Mohsin Taqvi, Imam of Kashmiri Gate Shia Jama Masjid, said: “Nobody wanted the war. Not even Americans. It is only Trump who wants it. The war against Iran is not just against Iran but against entire humanity.”
A condolence and mourning programme was also held at the Iran Cultural House on Tilak Marg, New Delhi. Among the participants included the Ambassador of Iran to India, Mohammad Fathali, several Iranian embassy officials, many Shia leaders, and clerics. They severely condemned the US-Israeli attack on Iran, saying it was unprovoked. The speakers said that it was a violation of Iran’s sovereignty. They said that the US and Israel had targeted a girls’ school in the heart of Tehran, killing about 200 girl students. They asked: Was the killing of innocent children justified?
Speakers, one after the other, said that the attacks would not weaken the resolve of the Iranians to stand for truth and justice. It will only strengthen their commitment to fight for truth and justice, they said.
The national flag of Iran was lowered at half-mast at the Iran Culture House to mourn the death of Khamenei.
Massive protests were also held in Srinagar, Budgam and other places in Kashmir, with several political leaders – including J-K Chief Minister Omar Farooq and PDP leader and former Chief Minister Mahbooba Mufti- condemning the killing of Khamenei.
Huge rallies were also taken out at Rampur, Aligarh and Lucknow in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Thousands of Shia and other Muslim community members took to the streets in Lucknow to condemn the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei. Protests started from Chhota Imambara and concluded at Bara Imambara in the old city, with protesters burning the effigies of US and Israeli leaders. Addressing protesters, Shia leader Kalbe Jawad said: “America and Israel attacked and killed Khamenei. They must be erased from the surface of the earth soon.”
In Lucknow, the All India Shia Personal Law Board headed by Maulana Yasoob Abbas announced a three-day mourning period, urging the community to display black flags on their homes and close shops in protest.
Thousands of Shia Muslims from Alipur town in Gauribidanur taluka of Chikkaballapur district held a protest, condemning the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They marched through the village, raising slogans and voicing their anger and sorrow over the death of their religious leader.
Similar protests were reported from other places in India: Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and Hyderabad (Telangana).
In Kerala, Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] general secretary M.A. Baby condemned the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
(Courtesy: www.indiatomorrow.net)
