Bombay HC rejects CPI (M) plea to hold protest rally against 'Gaza genocide' in Mumbai

According to Live Law, the court directed the petitioner to show patriotism for the countrymen first.

A division bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad said India already has several issues to deal with, and the petitioner party should avoid taking up issues which do not affect the citizens of India, reported Live Law..

"Our country has several issues to deal with...We don't want anything like this. I am sorry to say, you are all short-sighted...You are looking at Gaza and Palestine... Why don't you do something for our own country... Be patriots... Speaking for Gaza and Palestine is not patriotism... Speak up for the causes in our own country... Practice what you preach," Justice Ghuge remarked.

Senior Advocate Mihir Desai, who was representing the petitioner, told the judges that  his clients have been taking up several causes for India and even conducted several health and education camps in India.

Justice Ghuge said the court was curious to known why the political outfit was planning to protest the genocide in Gaza which is thousands of miles away from India.

"We are curious.. 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. You can take up social issues and local issues like flooding, drainages getting blocked... Parking illegally... Why aren't you protesting such issues?" Justice Ghuge was quoted as saying by Live Law.

"Whether to take a side for Palestine or Israel is their (Govt of India) work, why do you want to create such a situation that the country has to take sides on this? You don't know the dust it 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," Justice Ghuge said.

The party was planning to hold a protest in Mumbai's Azad Maidan.
The Mumbai Police had initially refused to grant it permission to hold the protest.