Kerala: Ruling CPI(M) holds massive pro-Palestine rally in Kozhikode

Kozhikode, Nov 11 (PTI) The ruling CPI(M) on Saturday held a massive rally here expressing solidarity with the people of war-ravaged Palestine and attacked the BJP-led union government over it's alleged pro-Israel stand.

Kerala Chief Minister and senior CPI(M) leader, Pinarayi Vijayan said the Left parties will not stand neutral during a fight between the right and the wrong and will stand firmly with the people of Palestine.

Vijayan said the BJP took a stand against humanity and the Centre does not reflect the sentiments of the Indian people.

"Those who refused to extend support to our brothers in Manipur, did not waste a second to express solidarity with the Israeli government which is moving forward with the genocidal aggression," Vijayan said, addressing the massive gathering here.

Attacking the Israeli government and the BJP in India, Vijayan said both are "driven by racial fanaticism" like Hitler.

"The people of India are with the people of Palestine who are resisting. But the Indian government is not reflecting the sentiments of the people here," Vijayan said, claiming that BJP was proud of its cooperation with Israel.

The chief minister said the Left party strongly stands with the people of Palestine.

"We are not neutral. The Left politics is not neutral. When there is a fight between the right and the wrong, we cannot stay neutral. We are with Palestine," Vijayan asserted.

The senior Left leader said the BJP government diluted the foreign policy of India to extend support to Israel.

Referring to the invitation extended to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) a major ally of the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), Vijayan said they were invited after they expressed support to the cause.

The IUML, on November 4, however, said that they will not participate in the CPI(M) rally citing technical reasons of being part of the opposition-led UDF.

The CPI(M)'s invitation to IUML had irked the Congress, which alleged that the Left party was trying to destabilise the UDF.

About 1,200 people in Israel were killed after Hamas' surprise attack on October 7. Israel has responded with weeks of attacks in Gaza, which have killed more than 11,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry — most of them Palestinian civilians. PTI