“During the event, Deshpande made a statement that has raised significant concern. He not only admitted to having met Palestinian terrorist Zubeidi in 2015 but also defended and glorified violence and armed rebellion. Zubeidi is a known figure associated with the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an organisation designated as a terrorist entity by various governments and international organisations, including the United States, the European Union and Israel,” the letter stated. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades have been linked to numerous acts of terrorism and attacks targeting civilians, making their association deeply problematic, it said. The letter quoted Deshpande as saying that “the Palestinian struggle is a freedom struggle”.

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