Kashmir police arrest graffiti on Palestinian mural News of Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Srinagar, Indian administered Kashmir – Indian-administered Kashmir police have arrested at least 20 people, including a significant religious leader who prayed for Palestine and an artist who drew graffiti in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Mudasir Gull, a 32-year-old family artist based in the main city of Srinagar, accused the regional authorities of censoring an artist’s freedom of expression.

“Why is he under arrest? What has he done? Has the government banned art here? asked his sister Muzamil Firdous.

“When the whole world is waking up against the cruelty of Israel, we cannot speak, we cannot practice art; what kind of democracy do we live in? Can we express our displeasure with Palestine? “Firdous told Al Jazeera.

Kashmiris took to the streets after Friday prayers for the pro-Palestinian congregation, waving flags, at the Gaza Strip in a show of solidarity against deadly Israeli airstrikes and savage attacks on East Jerusalem and occupied Palestinians in Israel.

At least 174 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 40 children, sparking solidarity protests around the world.

Can we express our displeasure with Palestine?

Muzamil Firdous, sister of the arrested artist

But security forces in Kashmir, one of the most militarized areas in the world, were quick to move to crush protests in the region with strong anti-Indian sentiments. In August 2019, the Hindu nationalist government in India removed the region’s limited autonomy and imposed a security shutdown to ward off protests.

The family of the seagull said a group of young people approached him on Friday to paint the graffiti. “They told my brother it was a protest of solidarity. They believed that it would not be against India or that such a slogan would not be raised, ”Firdous said.

The 32-year-old artist was arrested and a woman wrapped in a Palestinian flag wrapped in sobbing graffiti was made to disappear. The graffiti that read “We are Palestine” spread on social media.

“She’s an artist. We are shocked to have been arrested for doing his job. We don’t want the government to ruin his life, painting is his livelihood, ”Firdous told Al Jazeera.

The family said Seagull has health problems and cannot be detained for long periods of time in the middle of a COVID-19 outbreak.

‘Arrested for Praying’

Among the 20 detainees is a religious leader, Sarjan Barkati, from the Shopian district of southern Kashmir. His family said he was arrested after he raised slogans and prayed for the Palestinian people in a mosque.

Barkati was arrested in 2016 when Indian forces led protests to assassinate a popular rebel commander Burhan Wani. Thousands have been killed in a decade-long armed uprising against Indian rule.

My friend, the great Kashmiri artist Mudasir Gul according to the PSA (People’s Security Act) has been accused by the Indian government of drawing works of art in favor of Palestine.#freemudasirgul#freedom of speech#indiahttps://t.co/mkx9YhkUy7 pic.twitter.com/jlqiSN2R2D

– Mir Suhail (@mirsuhail) May 15, 2021

Protests and protections have been seen in this region through art and writing for the Palestinian cause over the years. In some parts of the old city of Srinagar, graffiti that still supports Palestine can be seen on shop shutters, roads and walls.

Since the abolition of Kashmir’s autonomy in 2019, the region has come under tremendous state pressure to prevent citizen protests. Although Kashmir has been unusually quiet for the past year and a half, mild tensions have sparked some protests in recent months.

“We know that people’s anger is piling up. Our past observations suggest that he needs a trigger to get out and that trigger could be anything, ”a police official told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity.

“These solidarity protests can also lead to greater pro-separatist protests. That’s why this time we don’t want to take a chance,” he said, taking the pro-freedom leader as a separatist.

Kashmir rebel groups and freedom leaders want to unite with independence from India or Pakistan. India has accused Pakistan of arming the rebels, which Islamabad has denied.

‘O oppressed Palestinians’

Shabroza Jan, the wife of 30-year-old Shopian religious leader, told al Jazeera that her husband had been arrested for a prayer of solidarity.

“He didn’t do anything wrong. He prayed for them (Palestine). He was taken from home by police on Saturday morning. We tried to meet him but they didn’t give us permission, ”he said.

In the video shot inside a mosque in Shopian, Barkati can be seen praying for Palestine and slogans like “O oppressed Palestine, we are with you”.

Police officials told Al Jazeera that they would not accept such protests in the region.

These solidarity protests could also lead to greater pro-separatist protests.

Kashmir police officer

“We will not tolerate such protests and will not give excuses to criminals and pro-Azadi (freedom) elements to stop people from going to street protests to prevent people at this point,” another senior police official told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity.

Earlier, police warned in a statement against street protests, saying police were following very closely “those who are trying to take advantage of the unfortunate situation in Palestine to disturb public peace and order in the Kashmir Valley.”

Police said in a statement that “they would not allow the anger of the people to be aroused in the streets of Kashmir by causing violence, legality and disorder.”

Showkat Hussain, a regional analyst based in the Sheikh region, said, “Kashmiri has always had a pro-Palestinian issue since the issue arose.

“Although they (the Kashmiris) themselves have been involved in a similar kind of situation. But understanding the pains of domination themselves has made the Palestinian issue more sensitive compared to other parts of the subcontinent,” Hussain said.

Hussain said he was more of an Indian speaker on the Palestinian issue in 1947 after independence from the British government.

“It simply came to our notice then [Prime Minister] Indira Gandhi began to approach Israel and now the government is hand in hand with Israel, ”he said, adding that the Kashmir government fears there may be a similar type of insurgency here.