After the news of the martyrdom of Iran’s supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ali Syed Khamenei, there was immense grief and anger in the Shia community of Muzaffarnagar district.
On Sunday (1 March), thousands of people came out on the streets of Khalapar area wearing black clothes. Women, elderly people and innocent children were also included in this mourning procession, who had tears in their eyes and strong protest against the oppression on their tongues.
‘Gived up my life but did not bow my head before the tyrant’
Organizer of the program and senior advocate Naseem Ahmed Zaidi gave an emotional address during the demonstration. He said that Ayatollah Khamenei had raised the voice of the oppressed all over the world. Zaidi said, “Khamenei Sahib proved with his martyrdom that he was steadfast on the path of Imam Hussein. He fought with all his heart against the massacre of innocent school children in Palestine by America and Israel. We are proud of his martyrdom that he did not bow down to the oppressor forces.”
Strict surveillance and security through drones
Considering the crowd of thousands and the sensitivity, the district administration remained on full alert mode. Heavy police force was deployed at every nook and corner from Khalapar to Fakkarshah Chowk. To keep the situation under control, surveillance was done from the sky through drone cameras. Top officials themselves remained present at the spot and took command of the security arrangements, so that the peace and order was not disturbed.
Memorandum submitted to the President, seeking intervention
At the conclusion of the procession, the protesters submitted a memorandum to the district administration in the name of His Excellency the President. ADM Administration Sanjay Kumar, while accepting the memorandum, said that the Shia community has expressed its anger in a peaceful manner after taking prior permission.
Main demands of the memorandum
- There should be an immediate stop to the killings of innocent civilians in the Middle East.
- The Government of India should intervene effectively to restore peace at the international level.
- Humanitarian aid should be ensured in war-torn areas.
Strong message of protest
This protest in Muzaffarnagar was not only a tribute to a religious leader, but also a strong global message against the military actions of Israel and America. At present, the situation remains peaceful in the entire area, but security agencies are continuously monitoring social media and ground activities.