Rasa – Saif Ali Budgami told Rasa News Agency on International al-Quds Day, the Kashmir Valley witnessed widespread protests in Kashmir against the illegal occupation of Palestine, Kashmir and in support of all the oppressed people of the world. RNA – In an exclusive interview with Rasa News Agency, Saif Ali Budgami, a citizen of Indian-ouccpied Kashmir, said, on May 31st, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadhan, thousands of people took to the streets to mark International al-Quds Day in Kashmir. The protests took place in support of Palestine and other oppressed people, particularly against the global oppressors, including Israel and the United States.
The well-attended protests took place in Budgam, Chatabal Srinagar, Khomeyni Chawk Bemina, Mirgund Baramullah, Tengan, Rakhshalina, Balhama, Chadoorah, Kargil, Jammu and other towns and cities.
The protests were showered with various slogans, including “Down with Israel,” “Down with the United States,” “Free Palestine,” “Remove Israel,” “Oh oppressors! Leave our first qiblah!” as well as slogans referring to the liberation of Kashmir, such as “Free Kashmir! We want Freedom!”
It’s to be noted International al-Quds Day was first suggested by the late founder of Islamic Revolution in Iran, Imam Khomeyni. He urged Muslims around the world to observe the last Friday of holy month of Ramadhan as al-Quds Day against the illegal occupation of Jerusalem al-Quds and Palestine by Israel and other oppressed people of the world. Jerusalem al-Quds is the first qiblah for Muslims.
Shaykh Ghulam-Husayn Matoo, the head of Mutahhari Fikri wa Saqafati Markaz, a religious organization in Srinagar, said, “This day is a platform for all oppressed people to unite against the so-called superpowers of the world in order to get eliminate their continuous oppression.”
Wilayat Ali, a protester from Tengan Rakhshalnia, said, “International al-Quds Day is a day of standing with world oppressed people. May it be Kashmir, Palestine or other oppressed areas, even if the victims and oppressed people aren’t Muslim, it’s obligatory to stand with them as well. The motive of this rally today was held on this position.”
Many witnesses rose their voices against the oppressive powers of the world, including the House of Saud in Saudi Arabia, the Buhari regime in Nigeria and the House of Khalifah in Bahrain, whom protesters blamed for their acts of murder, oppression, starvation and systems of government.
Agha Sayyed Hasan al-Musawi al-Safawi, the leader of the Hurriyat Conference, said, “This day is a golden gift from Ayatollah Khomeyni and the Islamic Revolution who initiated this day to oppose the Zionist systems of Israel and the United States and their allies against the killings, torture and murder in Palestine since the illegal occupation began.”
Simultaneously in many places, many small children were witnessed demonstrating by setting posters carrying the images of Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump on fire and kicking them and naming them the two most wanted global terrorists.
Shaykh Ghulam-Husayn Joo, the Friday prayer leader of Tengan Budgam, added, “This day isn’t only limited to Jerusalem al-Quds or Palestine but was the day of Kashmir as well. As Kashmiris, we must really care for Jerusalem al-Quds because it’s considered as ‘the House of God.’ It’s our first qiblah but at the same time we must stand for Kashmir as well. It’s simply a guide for the resistance of the oppressed people of the world. In addition, this day was observed in most of the countries of the world wherein the people demanded the complete liberation of Jerusalem al-Quds and Palestine and end of the Zionist oppression and illegal occupation of Palestine.”
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