Lucknow, 01 March
(HS): On Sunday, protests were conducted across Uttar Pradesh, including the
state capital Lucknow, in response to the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a combined US-Israeli operation. Protesters organized
rallies in Lucknow's Chhota Imambara, calling Khamenei's sacrifice a major loss
to humanity and the silencing of a forceful voice for their rights, and
condemning the US and Israel's despicable actions. The All India Shia Personal
Law Board has planned a large demonstration near Lucknow's Chhota Imambara on
Sunday night. Maulana Kalbe Jawad, a Shia religious leader, has also called for
a mourning gathering and a candlelight vigil.
Khamenei was murdered in an airstrike in Tehran on
Saturday during a combined Israeli-American operation on Iran. Iranian official
media confirmed the same on Sunday, sparking a wave of demonstrations and
sadness throughout the world, including India. According to Jaunpur news
sources, furious protestors marched from Imambara in Pandariba to the city's Kotwali
region, waving placards with anti-US and Israeli slogans as well as an image of
Khamenei. A big number of ladies were present during the parade. Shia cleric
Maulana Mohammad Raza, who took part in the parade, stated that the manner the
US assaulted and executed Shia leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei revealed their true
nature to the entire world. Protesters prayed for the safety of the Iranian
people and requested adequate security measures for Indians residing in nations
affected by the incident.
According to reports from Aligarh, a big crowd
gathered at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) to protest the attack that murdered
the Shia leader and his family. Although no single organization had called for
the demonstration, a big crowd assembled and marched to the AMU campus, where a
substantial number of students joined them. The demonstrators delivered a
memorandum to the President urging that India voice its unequivocal condemnation
of the US military's unjustified bombardment of civilian areas in Iran, which
resulted in the horrible deaths of scores of students.
Meanwhile, Mehboob Alam, a former AMU student
leader, told reporters that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was not only the spiritual
head of the Shia international community, but also the voice of all those who
stood up to imperialist powers threatening global peace. His death in the
bombing is a tremendous loss for mankind. Over 200 kilometers distant, in
Muzaffarnagar, hundreds of Shia Muslims marched from Kidwai Nagar to Fakharshah
Chowk, carrying Khamenei's photos, and delivered a memorandum to the Indian
President via the district magistrate. Shia cleric Asad Raza Hussaini stated,
We condemn the brutal assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei in Iran.
Similar scenes of protest were reported in Jhansi,
when a huge number of Shia community members assembled at Masjid-e-Imamiya in
the city's Mewatipura neighborhood to mourn Khamenei's death, calling it an
attack on world peace. Cleric Haider Zaidi stated, Our community condemns
all forms of persecution. The attackers' military conduct is bullying and a
violation of human rights. We will continue to speak out against this attack without
resorting to violence. Meanwhile, tight security measures have been
implemented in the district in response to the demonstrations. Protests over
Khamenei's killing were reported from several districts across the state,
including Ambedkar Nagar, Rampur, Barabanki, Shahjahanpur, and Ghaziabad.
Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi
