In the aftermath of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's assassination in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, protests have erupted in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The Shia-majority areas of Srinagar and Budgam witnessed large-scale demonstrations as thousands of people took to the streets to condemn Nasrallah's killing. The protests have amplified tensions in the Union Territory amid the ongoing Assembly elections in the region. The protests began soon after news broke of the Israeli strike, with protesters holding placards and chanting slogans against the airstrike. As per reports, Shia groups in Jammu and Kashmir have traditionally maintained strong emotional and ideological links with Hezbollah, given the broader context of sectarian politics in the Middle East. Notably, demonstrators demanded justice for the slain leader and expressed solidarity with the Hezbollah movement.
Why protests erupted in Kashmir?
Adding to the tensions, several political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly from Shia-dominated regions, announced the suspension of their election campaigns to mourn Nasrallah’s death. This sparked a political controversy in the Union Territory, as rival political factions criticised the move. While some politicians defended the decision as a mark of respect for Nasrallah and the sentiments of the local Shia population, others argued that election campaigns should not be influenced by international events unrelated to India's domestic affairs.
The killing of the Hezbollah leader has left a deep impact on the Shia community in Kashmir, where he is regarded as a "symbol of resistance" against oppression. According to reports, Nasrallah’s reverence transcends borders, with his leadership and anti-Israeli stance earning him widespread admiration among Shia populations globally. In the Kashmir valley, this sentiment is especially strong, given the region’s historical support for the Palestinian cause and opposition to Israeli occupation.
Key Shia cleric's statement
Prominent Shia cleric Maulana Yasoob Abbas, the general secretary of the All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB), expressed his sorrow over Nasrallah's death, calling it "a great loss for the Muslim world," as per the news agency ANI. He urged the Shia community in India to observe three days of mourning to honour the slain leader. Abbas also encouraged Shia households to raise black flags during this period as a mark of respect.
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah killed
It should be mentioned here that the killing of the powerful militant group's longtime leader sent shockwaves throughout Lebanon and the Middle East, where he has been a dominant political and military figure for more than three decades. Nasrallah, linked by Israel to numerous deadly attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets, has been on Israel's kill list for decades. His assassination is by far the biggest and most consequential of Israel's targeted killings in years, and significantly escalates the war in the Middle East. The Israeli military said it carried out a precise airstrike on Friday (September 27) while Hezbollah leaders were meeting at their headquarters in Dahiyeh, south of Beirut. In his first public remarks since the killing, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's targeting of Nasrallah was "an essential condition to achieving the goals we set". "He wasn't another terrorist. He was the terrorist," Netanyahu added.
