India detains leftist leaders to block Gaza protest in Mumbai
Police crackdown came hours before Wednesday's rally, after threats from Hindu nationalist groups opposing Palestine solidarity
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Indian authorities detained at least 25 left-wing leaders and activists on Wednesday to prevent a planned Gaza solidarity rally in Mumbai, drawing widespread condemnation from political parties and civil rights groups. The protest, part of a nationwide call by left parties, was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Azad Maidan but was met with heavy police repression.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Mumbai Police conducted house raids and placed several leaders from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and allied organizations in preventive custody.
The rally was organized under the banner of the All India Peace and Solidarity Organization and called attention to what demonstrators described as Israel’s genocide in Gaza and India’s complicity through silence and diplomatic support.
Protesters also raised slogans against the BJP-led central government and Maharashtra state authorities.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) issued a scathing statement, calling the crackdown a politically motivated attempt to suppress dissent. “This unprecedented action by Mumbai Police was carried out at the behest of the BJP-led government, which openly backs Israel’s genocide in Gaza,” the statement read.
The crackdown followed public threats earlier in the week by Hindu nationalist groups, including the Hindu Rashtra Samnvay Samiti, which warned it would hold counter-protests if the pro-Palestine rally went ahead.
The group submitted a memorandum accusing the organizers of being “anti-Hindu” and “pro-terrorist,” and pressured the police to act preemptively.
Rights advocates say Mumbai Police effectively caved to these demands by criminalizing peaceful political expression. They warn that India’s growing alignment with Israel is increasingly reflected in domestic crackdowns on dissent — particularly when led by leftist or Muslim voices.
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