Kochi: On Sunday, October 29th, prominent leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Sitaram Yechury, participated in an anti-Israel protest in Delhi. Their demonstration outside AKG Bhawan was held in opposition to Israel's actions in the Israel-Hamas conflict under the banner "Stop this Genocidal Aggression on Gaza." The Kerala Chief Minister joined the protests in Delhi while bomb blasts were reported in his home state.
Tragic Bomb Blasts in Kerala
#WATCH | Delhi: At the protest over the Israel-Hamas war with the message 'Stop this Genocidal Aggression on Gaza', Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan says, "We are here to protest against the inhuman genocide that is going on against the Palestinian people and the support being extended… pic.twitter.com/673KmD1QjR
— ANI (@ANI) October 29, 2023
On the same day, a series of explosions rocked a Jehovah's Witnesses prayer meeting at a convention center in Kalamassery, Ernakulam, within the Kochi district of Kerala. One woman lost her life, and over 40 individuals sustained injuries as a result of these multiple blasts that occurred on a Sunday morning. The injured were promptly transported to the Government Medical College Hospital, with fire department personnel recovering a charred body from the site. There is a possibility that the number of victims may increase. Notably, Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was called in to conduct an investigation into the explosions. According to reports, several blasts took place at the convention center, with some social media users reporting between three to four blasts. The police confirmed multiple explosions occurring around 9 AM on that Sunday morning, but they did not specify the exact number of blasts.
CPI and CPI(M) Joint Statement on India's UN Vote
On Saturday, October 28th, both the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the CPI(M) issued a joint statement in response to India's abstention from voting on a United Nations resolution that called for a ceasefire in Gaza. They deemed India's abstention "shocking" and suggested it signified India's shift towards shaping its foreign policy as "a subordinate ally of US imperialism." Their protests at the AKG Bhavan office of CPI(M) in Delhi on Sunday were organized to express solidarity with Palestine.
Sitaram Yechury, the General Secretary of CPI(M), and D Raja, his counterpart in the CPI, released a joint statement titled "Stop this Genocidal Aggression in Gaza." In this statement, they expressed that India's actions contradicted its long-standing support for the Palestinian cause. The statement read, "It is shocking that India abstained on a resolution overwhelmingly adopted by the UN General Assembly calling for a humanitarian truce titled ‘Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations’ in the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza."
The left-wing parties also called for an immediate ceasefire, emphasizing that the United Nations must reinvigorate itself to implement the Security Council's mandate for a two-state solution with pre-1967 borders, where East Jerusalem serves as the capital of the State of Palestine.
Prioritizing Solidarity with Gaza
The anti-Israel protests outside AKG Bhawan in Delhi took place on the final day of a three-day meeting of the CPI(M) that commenced on Friday. Kerala's Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, participated in these protests along with other communist leaders, despite the tragic bomb blasts that were occurring in his home state. In his address at the demonstration, Vijayan stressed the need to protest against the "inhuman genocide" happening against the Palestinian people and expressed concerns over the support extended to Israel by the Indian government. He condemned India's abstention from the UN resolution discussion, which supported Israel and the United States.Â
These events have raised questions about the prioritization of sympathizing with Gaza over addressing the victims of the bomb blasts in Kerala.
"Unfortunate Incident" - Chief Minister's Response to Kalamassery Explosions
