Members of the Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP) raised urgent concerns over what they called India’s creeping criminalisation of solidarity with Palestine, questioning whether protesting against the ongoing war in Gaza had effectively become a punishable offence.
NEW DELHI — At a fiery press conference held at the Press Club of India on Friday, members of the Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP) condemned what they described as a “barbaric police crackdown” on peaceful demonstrators exposing Modi government’s complicity with Zionist Israel.
The IPSP raised urgent concerns over what they called India’s creeping criminalisation of solidarity with Palestine, questioning whether protesting against the ongoing war in Gaza had effectively become a punishable offence.
Harrowing Accounts of Police Brutality
Activists shared disturbing first-hand testimonies of violence, illegal detention, and casteist, communal, and sexist abuse faced during and after a protest held outside the Israeli Embassy on June 23. According to the IPSP, the protest remained peaceful until Delhi Police launched a violent and unprovoked crackdown.
“Our protest was lawful and peaceful. What followed was sheer brutality,” said activist Priyamvada Sharma, recounting how protesters — including women, minors, and people with disabilities — were physically assaulted and detained.
Sharma alleged that police personnel, primarily male officers, slapped, punched, dragged demonstrators, tore clothes, and used excessive force. Freelance journalists and photo-documentarians were also allegedly assaulted for recording the incident.
Abuse in Custody
Once detained, protesters were reportedly taken to Tughlak Road and Mandir Marg police stations, where the abuse continued. Sharma alleged that Sub-Inspector Umesh Mallik made degrading and sexist remarks, including: “Inka to bas kapde kholna baaki hai” (The only thing left is to strip them), directed at female detainees.
Dalit activists Himanshu Gautam and Prasenjit Gautam said they were subjected to casteist slurs, being called “neech,” “chamar,” and “gandi nali ke keede”—terms that are both illegal and deeply offensive.
Visually Impaired and Women Targeted
Among those assaulted was Abdul Rauf, a visually impaired Delhi University student, who said he was pushed and manhandled by police. “When others tried to intervene, officers said, ‘Take him away or we won’t care if he’s blind or a woman,’” he recalled.
Artist and activist Srishti Gupta said she suffered a knee injury after being forced into a police vehicle. “I couldn’t breathe. We kept circling for an hour with no medical help. Finally, they dropped me off near a hospital in Shadipur—no assistance provided. I had to seek private care,” she said.
Surveillance, Interrogation, and Intimidation
Sharma also revealed that she and another activist were later summoned for questioning by Intelligence Bureau (IB), CID, and Special Branch officers. “We were asked: ‘Why would a non-Muslim protest for Palestine?’ or ‘Why does a physics student care about Gaza?’ These weren’t innocent questions—they were meant to delegitimise our activism,” she said.
The activists said they were warned of serious consequences for burning the Israeli flag and told their protest was tantamount to criminal behaviour.
FIRs Filed Under BNS
The IPSP revealed that Delhi Police filed FIRs against four protesters under provisions of the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), including Section 121(1), which pertains to assaulting public officials.
“These are fabricated charges,” said IPSP member Vishal. “It was the police who attacked us, not the other way around. These FIRs are designed to vilify peaceful protesters as violent elements and stifle the broader movement.”
He accused the Modi government of duplicity: “India claims to support Palestine on paper, yet abstains from key UN votes and strengthens its military and trade ties with Israel.”
Legal Pushback and Civil Society Action
The IPSP announced plans to challenge the FIRs in court and file counter-complaints against Delhi Police for assault, abuse, and discriminatory behaviour. They intend to approach statutory bodies including the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Commission for Women (NCW), and National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC).
The group also plans to launch a civil society delegation of lawyers, academics, and public intellectuals to raise the issue both nationally and internationally.
Prominent Voices Extend Support
Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves of the Human Rights Law Network revealed via RTI that Delhi Police issued over 6,000 Section 144 orders, banning public assembly in defiance of Supreme Court guidelines.
Professor Nandita Narayan, former President of the Delhi University Teachers’ Association, condemned the crackdown, calling it “state-sponsored barbarity.” She said, “Palestine solidarity is not just about foreign affairs. It’s about our democratic right to dissent.”
Professor Soumyabrata Choudhury of JNU warned of growing surveillance and repression, while Dr Mrigank of CPI(ML) New Democracy said the government’s ultimate aim is to criminalise all forms of resistance.
Call for Boycott and National Solidarity
Concluding the conference, IPSP called for broader public support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israeli apartheid.
“The fight for Palestine is not about religion; it is a national liberation struggle against settler-colonialism,” said Sharma. Vishal added, “India too fought colonial rule. Supporting Palestine is a moral imperative and a test of our collective humanity.”
