Protest in Kargil against Netanyahu’s India visit

Protest demonstrations against the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to India continued for the second day on Wednesday in the frontier Kargil town of Jammu and Kashmir.

Netanyahu reached New Delhi on Sunday to kick start his “historic” six-day tour of India which will culminate on January 19.

Hundreds of residents on Wednesday gathered for the protest rally at tehsil headquarter Sankoo. They raised slogans against the Israeli Prime Minister and expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine. The demonstrators, who were holding placards and Palestinian flags, burnt the effigy of Netanyahu, American and the Israeli flags. The rally was organised by Anjuman e Sahib Zaman, a socio-religious organisation.

“Israel is a terrorist state and Modi government has ruined the secular image of India by inviting a person who is responsible for helping terrorist group like ISIS in the world,” said a protester Abbas Behesti, addressing the rally.

Another protester Shiekh Muslim Sadegi said, “Modi government has hurt the sentiments of Muslims across country by inviting a “killer” like Netanyahu to India.”

A similar protest demonstration was organised at Laal Chowk Kargil by Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion, chairman of the trust, Sheikh Sadiq Rajaie said that the land of Mahatama Gandhi can't tolerate “war-criminal like Netanyahu”.

Rajaie said that such moves by the BJP-led NDA government will weaken India's long-standing democratic approach in it's foreign policy. “India has always supported Palestine cause in the past. This paradigm shift will make India a puppet in the hands of US government.”