New Delhi, In a significant display of dissent, over 100 civil society organizations and activists in India, including workers’ unions, civil liberties groups, and individuals from the arts and education sectors, have issued a joint statement from New Delhi demanding the Indian government honor the long-standing promise of a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir. These groups, along with the Bharatiya Kisan Union and Kirti Kisan Union, have also expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause and criticized the Indian government’s stance on recent conflicts in Gaza.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the coalition condemned the Indian government’s “complicity” in the conflict in Gaza and the broader nexus between Delhi and Tel Aviv, which they believe oppresses the people of Kashmir and Palestine. The statement calls on Indians both domestically and in the diaspora to demonstrate and to forge enduring solidarity with the struggles of Palestinians and Kashmiris.
In the wake of crackdowns on pro-Palestine protests across India, the group has denounced the detention and assault of protesters by the state police. They assert that these actions aim to suppress dissent and criminalize support for Palestine. Moreover, India’s abstention from a UN General Assembly resolution that sought a humanitarian truce in Gaza, due to its lack of “explicit condemnation” of Hamas, has been met with criticism from the signatories.
The activists demand the immediate end to military cooperation and arms deals between India and Israel, along with urgent measures to facilitate self-determination for Palestinians and the return of those displaced since the 1948 Nakba. They also call for the release of Palestinian, Kashmiri, and Indian political prisoners and urge an end to the criminalization of pro-Palestine activism in India, particularly the harassment of Indian Muslims and Kashmiris.
Highlighting the police action against students at Aligarh Muslim University and the rise of hate speech and misinformation following the Israel-Hamas escalations, the signatories seek intervention from the Supreme Court of India and the National Human Rights Commission. They further demand accountability for the Indian government’s use of Israeli surveillance technology in Jammu and Kashmir and other areas within its borders.
The statement also refers to allegations of Israeli drone technology being used to bomb Adivasi homes and lands, urging both the Indian judiciary and the International Criminal Court to hold those responsible for crimes against humanity accountable.
This declaration marks a notable collective stance by Indian citizens against what they term the “occupation” of Palestine and Kashmir, demanding substantial action from state institutions and the international community.