Kolkata witnessed a massive rally on Saturday as the Left Front and its affiliated organisations marched from Rabindra Sadan to Lenin’s Statue at Esplanade, raising their voice against the recent Israeli attack on a humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza.
The protesters also demanded the immediate release of internationally renowned activists, including environmentalist Greta Thunberg, who have reportedly been detained for standing in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.The rally, called by Left parties, was marked by a sea of banners, posters and placards condemning Israel’s actions. The demonstrators carried slogans demanding an immediate end to what they described as “genocide in Gaza” and condemned the United States for providing continuous support to what they termed “war crimes” by Israel.
Senior Left leaders, including Left Front chairman Biman Bose, CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty, and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) general secretary Srijan Bhattacharya, were present at the forefront of the rally.
They walked shoulder to shoulder with a large number of activists, students, workers, and common citizens who had gathered in solidarity with the people of Palestine.
Speakers at the rally strongly criticised the Israeli government for launching repeated assaults on civilian populations in Gaza, as well as the attack on the flotilla carrying humanitarian aid.
“The attack is not only an assault on the people of Gaza but also on international humanitarian principles,” Sujan Chakraborty said.
He further alleged that such actions were possible only because of unconditional backing from the United States, which continues to shield Israel on international platforms.
The rally reiterated the student community’s solidarity with the Palestinian people and demanded the immediate release of Greta Thunberg and other activists who had stood up against what they called “ecological destruction and human rights violations in the name of war.”
The rally saw hundreds of participants chanting slogans such as “Stop genocide in Gaza,” “Free the detained activists,” and “Down with US-backed Israeli war crimes.”
The protest concluded at Lenin’s statue in Esplanade, where participants took a pledge to continue mobilising public opinion in support of Palestine.
The leaders announced that similar rallies and meetings would be held across districts in West Bengal in the coming days to sustain the momentum.
