Bombay HC's Observations Smack of Political Bias in Line With Centre: CPI(M) on Gaza Protest Order
The Wire Staff
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New Delhi: The politbureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has condemned strongly the Bombay high court's July 25 order on the party's petition challenging the Mumbai Police’s refusal to grant permission for a protest in solidarity with Palestinians,
In a controversial order, the bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad said, "You are looking at issues in Gaza and Palestine. Look at your own country. Be patriots. This is not patriotism."
"Ironically, the bench appears to be unaware of either the provisions of the Constitution which enshrines the rights of a political party, or the history of our country and our people’s solidarity with the Palestinians and their legitimate right to homeland. The observations smack of distinct political bias in line with the central government," the CPI(M) noted.
The party's statement highlighted two observations by the court:
“You don’t know the dust it could kick up. Getting on to the Palestine side or the Israel side. Why do you want to do this? It’s obvious, going by the party you represent that you don’t understand what this could do to the foreign affairs of the country.”
and
“You are an organisation registered in India. If you could take up issues like garbage dumping, pollution, sewerage, flooding. We are just giving examples. You are not protesting on those but on something happening thousands of miles outside the country.”
The party said that these observations overlook the fact that Mahatma Gandhi in the 40s of the last century, the national movement and subsequent foreign policy of independent India "had not flinched from supporting the cause of Palestinian people’s right to freedom and homeland."
"It also lays bare the fact that the bench does not realise the unequivocal condemnation globally against Israeli action and the stated positions of the UN bodies and the International Court of Justice," the party said.
"We appeal to the freedom and democracy loving people of the country to join us in unambiguously rejecting such a reprehensible attitude," it finally said.
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