Shia community observes sombre Eid in Madhya Pradesh, protests against US, Israel

As declared earlier, members of the Shia community in Madhya Pradesh observed a sombre Eid on Saturday in mourning for the slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, and raised slogans against the United States and Israel at various places across the state.

According to reports, Khamenei was killed on February 28 at the onset of the ongoing conflict between the US-Israel alliance and Iran in West Asia, in bombings carried out in Tehran.

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More than 4,000 Shia families in Madhya Pradesh are largely concentrated in cities such as Bhopal, Jabalpur, Indore, Vidisha, Ujjain, Burhanpur, Itarsi, and Jaora.

The main namaz of the Shia community was offered at the Fatehgarh Imambara in the state capital, Bhopal. A photograph of Ayatollah Khamenei was placed at the Imambara in his remembrance.

Addressing the gathering after the namaz, Shia cleric Maulana Razi-ul-Hasan spoke about the importance of standing up against oppression. Slogans against the US and Israel were raised following the prayers.

Some devotees were seen wearing black armbands and dressed in simple, old clothes as a mark of mourning. Shia children were also observed wearing black armbands across the state.

“All India Shia Samaj state president Iftikhar Ali said, “After offering namaz at Sidhipura Imamiya Masjid and raising slogans against the US and Israel, I returned home. My community and I are not celebrating Eid.”

He added that the community chose not to celebrate the otherwise joyous festival in protest against what he described as excesses by Israel and the US on Iran.