CPI(M) said that the Court's observation verdict calling it anti-constitutional and smack of distinct political bias in line with the current BJP government.
Mumbai, Maharashtra: The Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) against the police’s refusal to grant permission to hold a protest meeting against Israeli genocide in Gaza at Azad Maidan in the city.
While hearing the left party’s plea, the court stated that the party should concentrate on problems affecting India, instead of focusing on issues thousands of miles away in Gaza.
Reacting to the court’s observation, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau issued a statement and condemned the verdict calling it anti-constitutional. “The Bench appears unaware of the either the provisions of the constitution which enshrine the rights of political party and the history of the county and its people’s solidarity with the Palestinians and their legitimate right to homeland,” the left party stated, asserting that the court’s observation smack of distinct political bias in line with the current BJP government.
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“Our country has enough issues… We don’t want anything like this. I’m sorry to say, you are all short-sighted. You are looking at issues in Gaza and Palestine. Look at your own country. Be patriots. This is not patriotism. “People say they are patriots…,” Live Law quoted the bench consisting of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad.
The bench stated that it is curious to know why the CPI(M) wanted to protest the genocide in Gaza, noting that the West Asian country is thousands of miles away from India. “You have no issue with respect to our own country…something productive for our own country… “They are fighting 1000s of miles away, and you are showing concern for Palestine, Gaza etc.” the court said, adding that the party can take up social issues and local issues like flooding, drainage issues, parking among others.
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Advocate Mihir Desai, appearing for the CPI (M), pointed out that the party’s protest has nothing to do with India’s border relations with any country, but it is about the right to free speech and expression. However, the court cited the Supreme Court that the right to free speech is being misused, questioning the party taking up Palestinians’ cause where India’s own citizens or common person are not concerned.
“Throwing garbage anywhere is not an issue ? Do we have so much time to spend hearing such a matter when we have hundreds of cases of our own citizens listed? “Are these not our constitutional issues?” Justice Ghuge observed, adding that the issue that the party seeks to protest should be best left to the country’s foreign department or external affairs ministry.
“Whether to take a side for Palestine or Israel is their (Govt of India) work. Why do you want to create such a situation where the country has to take sides on this? You don’t know the dust could kick up. “It’s obvious, going by the party you represent, that you don’t understand what this could do to the foreign affairs of the country,” the court added.
In its statement, the CPI(M) pointed out that the court went to the extent of questioning the patriotism of the party.
#CPIM Polit Bureau condemns Bombay High Court’s anti-constitutional observations pic.twitter.com/5QouGk9QX9
— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) July 25, 2025
The party further stated that the court overlooked the fact that Mahatma Gandhi had not flinched from supporting the cause of Palestinian’s right to freedom and homeland. “We appeal to the freedom and democracy loving people of the county to join us in unambiguously rejecting such as reprehensive attitude,” the party added
