The Delhi Police on Friday detained economist Jean Drèze, human rights activist Nadeem Khan and Communist Party of India leader Annie Raja, among others, during a protest calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and urging the Indian government to cut ties with Israel.
The protestors, who were part of India for Palestine collective, were detained by the police despite having informed them about the demonstration.
The silent protest was stopped by the city police as the protesters were marching towards the Israeli embassy in the national capital city.
In a statement, the India for Palestine collective said the “complicity” of the Narendra Modi government and “some public and private sector companies” in the “ongoing genocide in Gaza” is well known.
“We have heard of Adani Defence and Aerospace Ltd., but there are other culprits as well – Munitions India and Premier Explosive, in addition to the [Indian] government itself which has approved not just the provision of militarised cargo to Israel but also the shipment of Indian workers to Israel, a move that puts their lives at risk,” the collective alleged.
The collective said that India was committed to various international laws and treaties that prevented it from supplying military weapons to countries involved in alleged war crimes.
“Under the Genocide Convention, which India has signed and ratified, India is required to take all possible steps to prevent genocide,” the statement said. “This means that India cannot export military equipment or weapons to Israel if there’s a serious risk that these weapons might be used to commit war crimes.”
They added that as per the convention, a country that was complicit in genocide could also be held accountable for it. “Therefore, we Indians for Palestine, demand the immediate stoppage of arms supply to Israel and the end of all official ties between India and Israel for the time being.”
The collective also urged Indians to boycott companies and products that support the illegal occupation of Palestine by Israel and “take action in line with the BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] movement.”
At least 39,699 people have been killed and 91,722 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocidal war on Gaza.
