From Kashmir to Karnataka, the Shia community was seen mourning on the streets on Sunday following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, many people gathered near the Bara Imambara mosque, raising slogans during the protest while Kashmir saw a huge gathering of protestors expressing their anger and sorrow. Women were seen holding Khamenei’s photographs, crying openly, and many shouted slogans against the US and Israel regime.
Why are Shias protesting across India?
For the Shia community, the Supreme Leader of Iran is not just a political figure. He is considered a Marja-e-Taqlid, or “Source of Emulation,” meaning many Shias in India, especially in Srinagar, Lucknow and Hyderabad, look to him for religious and spiritual guidance. His followers see his death not as a political killing, but as martyrdom, which holds deep meaning in Shia belief.
“This is a message for all that wherever the oppressed are killed, we will raise our voice for them. Khamenei has been killed, but after him, thousands of Khameneis have been born today,” a protester told reporters.
Kashmir is often called Iran-e-Sagheer, meaning “Little Iran,” a term made popular by poet Muhammad Iqbal. Persian was the official language of Jammu and Kashmir for nearly five centuries before it was replaced by Urdu in 1889 during Dogra rule, according to a report by The Indian Express.
Many protesters see the Iranian leadership as a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause and one of the few voices standing up to Western, especially US, and Israeli influence in the Middle East. Several Indian Muslim organisations have condemned the strike, calling it a violation of international law and national sovereignty. Many groups across the country have announced multiple days of mourning and have planned more protests on Monday in memory of the Iranian leader.
When Khamenei visited India
Long before becoming Iran’s most powerful leader in 1989, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had visited parts of India. In 1980–81, at the age of 41, he travelled to Karnataka and Kashmir in the early years after the Islamic Revolution. Years later, while meeting Indian leaders in Tehran, he spoke warmly about figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. He also praised India’s religious diversity, showing a personal connection with the country, the report mentioned.
Records from Iranian archives show that at 41, two years after the 1979 Revolution and shortly before he became Iran’s President in October 1981, Khamenei visited India as part of outreach efforts started by the government of Ruhollah Khomeini, which came to power after the revolution.
Strong protests were also seen in New Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand and Telangana. Protesters carried Khamenei’s posters and shouted slogans against US and Israeli military actions, expressing deep anger and grief.