Bombay High Court dismisses CPIM’s plea seeking permission to protest about Gaza, tells them to look at their own country and be patriotic
The Bombay High Court, on Friday (25th July), dismissed a petition filed by the CPI (Marxist) seeking permission to hold a protest in Azad Maidan in Mumbai against the alleged “genocide” in Gaza.
A bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad rejected the petition, suggesting the petitioners that they should raise the issues relating to their own country.
“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…,” the court remarked.
You should take up local issues: Bombay High Court
Senior Advocate Mihir Desai, appearing for the CPIM, defended the petition by submitting that his clients take up several causes for India and engage in conducting health and education camps. However, unconvinced by his submission, the court said, “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, drainage, getting blocked… Parking illegally… Why aren’t you protesting such issues?” Justice Ghuge sought to know.”
The High Court advised the CPIM to take up local and domestic issues like garbage dumping, pollution, drainage, and floods. “You are an organisation registered in India. If you could take up issues like garbage dumping, pollution, sewerage, and flooding. We are just giving examples. You are not protesting on those but on something happening thousands of miles outside the country,” the court suggested.
“Look at your own country. Be patriots. This is not patriotism,” the court added.
The protest could lead to diplomatic consequences: Bombay High Court
The court cautioned the petitioners that the protest could have potential diplomatic consequences. “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.. getting on to the Palestine side or the Israel side. Why do you want to do this? 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 said.
The judges noted that the CPIM did not make any application before the Mumbai Police seeking permission to hold the protest, and instead approached this court challenging an order of the Mumbai Police, passed on June 17, 2025, rejecting the request of the All India Peace and Solidarity Foundation (AIPSF) to hold a protest in Azad Maidan. The court said that the CPIM had no locus standi to challenge the order of the Mumbai Police as the order did not concern it. Holding that the petition was untenable, the High Court dismissed it.
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