On October 5th, 2024, Bengaluru became a rallying point for citizens standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Civic groups such as AISA (All India Students’ Association), AILAJ (All India Lawyers Association for Justice), and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind joined forces to condemn Israel’s brutal actions in Gaza, which have continued unabated for nearly a year. As protestors took to the streets, they raised their voices against what they termed as a “genocide”—the ongoing displacement, destruction, and killing of Palestinians by Israeli forces.
With banners bearing slogans like “Stop India’s Complicity in the Genocide of Palestinians!” and “End the Israeli Occupation of Palestine!”, the protest served as a reminder that the atrocities in Gaza are not merely a distant issue, but one that affects all of humanity. Organisers called attention to the staggering toll of Israel’s military actions: over 1,86,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, and more than 2.3 million people have been displaced from their homes. This, they argue, is not simply a conflict—it is ethnic cleansing, a systematic eradication of Palestinian lives and lands that has persisted for more than seven decades.
Despite vocal expressions of support for Palestine from certain political quarters, like the Indian National Congress, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Protestors pointed out that officials from the Karnataka government, including the Deputy Chief Minister, have actively suppressed pro-Palestine demonstrations while simultaneously attending the India-Israel Business Summit in Bengaluru just last month. This, they argue, reveals the state’s duplicity, profiting from trade and military deals with Israel while paying lip service to the cause of Palestinian freedom.
The Bengaluru police’s directives to prohibit the use of Palestinian flags at the protest reflected yet another example of the Indian state’s subtle but undeniable complicity in Israeli aggression. Protestors decried India’s role in arming and enabling the Israeli war machine through companies like Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which have brokered lucrative defence deals with Israeli manufacturers like Elbit Systems and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Over the past few years, Indian companies have exported over $500 million worth of military equipment to Israel—equipment that is ultimately used to fuel the violence against Palestinians.
But the protest in Bengaluru wasn’t just about exposing India’s trade relationships with Israel; it also shone a light on a more sinister alliance between India’s ruling classes and Israel’s Zionist government. The ideological overlap between Hindutva and Zionism, both grounded in ethnic supremacy, was a recurring theme during the speeches. Protestors drew parallels between the oppression faced by marginalised communities in India—Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis—and the daily struggles of Palestinians under Israeli occupation. They argued that the tools of repression used in Kashmir, Bastar, and during the anti-Sterlite protests in Thoothukudi, such as Israeli-manufactured drones, surveillance systems, and weapons, are part of a shared global system of state violence.
One of the more harrowing revelations from the protest was the recent agreement between India and Israel to send 1,00,000 Indian workers to Israel to replace Palestinian labourers. Protestors highlighted how international workers in Israel have been historically subjected to exploitation and abuse, painting this move as not just dangerous but also deeply immoral. They warned that sending Indian workers into such conditions would make India complicit in Israel’s genocidal labour practices, further entangling the two nations in a deadly web of militarism, exploitation, and ethnic violence.
The protestors in Bengaluru laid out several clear demands. They called for a full embargo on Israel—economic, cultural, diplomatic—similar to the one India imposed on apartheid South Africa. They demanded that Indian companies stop exporting military equipment to Israel and urged academic and cultural institutions to end all partnerships with Israeli organisations. They also called for an immediate end to the labour agreement that sends Indian workers to Israel, insisting that this is no time to support a regime committing international crimes.
Crucially, the protest highlighted the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ongoing case against Israel for genocide and apartheid, urging the Indian government to recognize Israel’s presence in the occupied territories as illegal under international law. The speakers emphasised that India must reclaim its legacy as a leader in anti-colonial resistance by taking a firm stand against Israel’s actions.
In a city known for its vibrant activism, the protest was a powerful display of solidarity with the Palestinian people and a fierce condemnation of India’s involvement in what many have termed a genocide. The demonstrators in Bengaluru made it clear that this issue is not just about Palestine; it’s about fighting oppression, militarism, and injustice wherever it occurs, from Gaza to Kashmir. The call to action was unequivocal: Rise in solidarity, end the Israeli occupation, and make sure that justice is served—for Palestine, and for all oppressed people.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” chanted the crowds. Their voices echoed through the streets of Bengaluru, calling for a future where freedom and justice prevail, from Gaza to every corner of the globe.
