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The Wire
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Vandalism of Karachi Bakery and the Weaponisation of Food to Portray a Shallow Form of Patriotism
A branch of the famous Karachi Bakery in Shamshabad locality of Hyderabad was vandalised by workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on May 10, amidst the then ongoing Operation Sindoor. The attackers, who wore saffron shawls were seen stepping on Pakistani flags and specifically vandalising the name 'Karachi'. Karachi Bakery was established in 1953 by Khanchand Ramnani, a Sindhi Hindu who migrated from Karachi to Hyderabad following the partition of India in 1947. He named the bakery as a homage to his hometown. Over the years, Karachi Bakery has become a part of the culinary fabric of Hyderabad, famed for its biscuits, especially the Osmania Biscuit. It has also emerged as a pan Indian brand, with branches in various cities across the country. Multiple attacks on Karachi Bakery over the years In the past few years, Karachi Bakery has had to face multiple attacks and protests from right wing forces only because of its name. In 2019, in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, the shop was vandalised. Both in 2019 and 2025, one of the owners had to come and clarify that they have no links to Pakistan. Moreover, in 2019, a group of people claiming to be from a human rights organisation covered the bakery's name in one of its branches in Ahmedabad. In 2021 the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led a protest outside the bakery's Bandra outlet in Mumbai to demand that its name be changed, which eventually led to the outlet's shutting down. Every time there is a conflict with Pakistan, Karachi bakery has to pay the price. 'We request the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and senior officers of administration to support to prevent any change in the name. People are putting up Tricolour in the outlets of the bakery across the city, kindly support us as we are an Indian brand and not a Pakistani brand,' the owners issued a statement after the latest incident last month. Despite the repeated attacks over years, the owners have continued to stay in the business and even expanded to the quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit. The owner of a general store in Mumbai's Chembur says that there has been no change in the demand for Karachi Bakery products, especially the Osmania and fruit biscuits. A screengrab showing people vandalising the Karachi Bakery. Photo: X/@anusharavi10. So, if consumers are not hesitant in buying their products, it begs the question that who really has a problem with them and why? Why is it that a well known beloved Indian bakery is associated with Pakistan and consequently portrayed as a villain? This is not the only instance of food being weaponised in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor in the past few weeks. In an attempt to contribute to the patriotic fervour, Tyohaar sweets and Bombay Mishtan Bhandar of Jaipur declared that they are dropping the word 'Pak' from all their sweets like Mysore Pak and Moti Pak, assuming it stems from 'Pakistan'. Tyohaar Sweets declared they will replace it with the word 'shree'. 'People who think that pak is somehow related to Pakistan are so ignorant. It shows that they have no awareness about south Indian culture, language and practices. Paaka in Kannada means the sticky, sweet syrupy base that holds the sweet together, sometimes soft, sometimes chewy, sometimes hard, based on what people prefer. There are thousands of words with pak in them. Are all these names going to change and are those changes going to make one more nationalistic or ensure the security of the country?' Dr. Sylvia Karpagam, a renowned public health doctor and researcher who has worked extensively on the intersections of food and politics, told The Wire in an interview. Whenever there is a conflict with Pakistan we see how restaurants and food are targeted. Vandalising Indian restaurants and changing names of Indian dishes become the easiest way of portraying a shallow form of patriotism. It amounts to nothing but political narrative setting. 'Food is an easy way to divide communities' Karpagam feels that it is 'not surprising' such attacks happen, in fact it would be surprising if they didn't. ' These attacks are not unusual. the culture of extra-judicial actions, rakshaks of various objects and spaces, encounter killings etc. are valorised. Mainstream media and even so called leaders – political and religious – participate in this valorisation. People don't seem to find it ridiculous to target people who have nothing to do with terrorism or war or inter-country issues,' she added. These attacks and protests could be seen in the larger context of weaponising food to create political narratives. Food has always been politicised and used as a tool to discriminate and conduct violence. Recently there has been discourse about challenging the perceived supremacy of vegetarianism and beef eating practices. 'Food is an easy way to divide communities depending on who owns them and who eats there. Even though only 20% Indians identify as vegetarian, they dictate which foods are considered as pure/touchable and which are untouchable and impure. If there are attacks on Muslim or Dalit communities, there is a tacit support, silence and collusion by the larger society,' said Karpagam. This leads to a lot of impunity among people who are actually anti-social elements who are valorised as heros. When brutal murders happen by the so-called vigilantes , they are celebrated. This is a violation of the Constitution and rule of law. Now the Muslim community is being targeted for occupying a space that was left empty because of caste prejudices against meat,' she added. Therefore, such instances when a karachi bakery is vandalised, a Mysore Pak is renamed, a Sabir Malik is lynched to death on suspicion of eating beef, or when a Dalit man is denied entry in a restaurant in Bellari, they are just manifestations of caste and class supremacy through food. Deciding the narratives on who can eat what and where and to decide what is acceptable is a power wielded by the privileged. Such manifestations go against the ethos of our constitution and shows how food can be used to otherise identities and remains a deeply political subject. The author is an intern at The Wire. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
Hans India
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Karachi Bakery Faces Protest Over Name Amid India-Pakistan Tensions
As it is known, Karachi Bakery operates not only in Hyderabad but also in several cities across India. The bakery was established by a family that migrated from Pakistan to India during the Partition after independence. However, controversy has erupted over the bakery's name, which carries the name of a city in a hostile country, especially during a time of heightened tensions and conflict between India and Pakistan. To provide some background, Karachi Bakery was founded in 1953 by a Sindhi businessman named Khanchand Ramnani. Even though the bakery's management has repeatedly stated that it is 100% Indian, some people have continued to attack the business over its name. On Saturday, around 10 BJP workers staged a protest demanding that the bakery change its name, which has been in use for nearly 70 years. During the protest, they vandalized a name board at one of the bakery's outlets. In addition to Hyderabad, protesters also gathered in front of Karachi Bakery outlets in Visakhapatnam, demanding a change in the business name. They objected to the continued use of the name of a city from what they call an enemy country. In this context, BJP workers attacked a Karachi Bakery outlet in the Shamshabad area, chanting slogans like "Pakistan Murdabad" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai." A video of this incident has gone viral on social media. Though the police tried to stop the protesters, visuals showing the name board being destroyed have widely circulated online. However, police confirmed that all bakery staff are safe and that there was no major property damage. They managed to reach the scene in time and bring the situation under control. Meanwhile, the bakery owners have appealed for support, stating that the business has been running since their grandfather's time. They have requested the government's cooperation if a name change becomes necessary.
India.com
12-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
India-Pakistan Tensions Fallout: Protesters Target Hyderabad's Karachi Bakery, Demand Name Change
India-Pakistan Tensions: Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad was reportedly targeted by a group of protesters amid rising India-Pakistan tensions during Operation Sindoor. On Sunday, around 10–15 individuals gathered outside the 73-year-old bakery and shouted anti-Pakistan slogans following backlash over its name. As per the Indian Express report, videos circulating on social media showed a group of individuals wearing saffron scarves entering a Karachi Bakery outlet, demanding a change in its name. The protestors, seen holding the national flag, gathered outside the Shamshabad branch and reportedly attempted to damage the nameboard using sticks. However, no significant harm was caused to the property or the staff. The vandalism of Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad by miscreants is a deplorable act of ignorance and incivility. The bakery, owned by the Khanchand Ramnani family, Sindhi Hindus who migrated to India post-Partition in 1947, is a symbol of resilience and heritage unjustly targeted. — Āryā_Anvikṣā (@Arya_Anviksha_) May 11, 2025 In the viral videos, police were seen present as protesters continued to target the bakery's signboard. Officials later confirmed that the crowd was dispersed shortly after the incident. The owners of Karachi Bakery, Rajesh and Harish Ramnani, stated that the brand is a '100 per cent Indian brand,' established in 1953 by their grandfather Khanchand Ramnani after he migrated to India during the Partition. 'We request the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and senior officers of administration to support to prevent any change in the name. People are putting up tricolour in the outlets of the bakery across the city. Kindly support us as we are an Indian brand and not a Pakistani brand.' The bakery chain had previously come under fire in 2019 following the Pulwama terror attack, which killed 40 CRPF personnel. At the time, protesters had entered its Indiranagar outlet in Bengaluru, calling for a change in the bakery's name.
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First Post
12-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Does India's famous Karachi Bakery have links to Pakistan? Why was it vandalised?
Amid tensions between India and Pakistan, the famous Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad was vandalised, demanding that the confectionery store change its name. But why is the popular bakery named after a city in Pakistan? read more Amid tensions with Pakistan, one of the branches of Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad was vandalised, with the mob demanding that the name be changed. Image Courtesy: Facebook As India and Pakistan engaged in hostilities on Saturday (May 11) — with Islamabad launching drones and missiles across the border — the famous Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad was vandalised by right-wing elements, demanding that the confectionery store change its name. Notably, this isn't the first time that the brand, which is known for its fruit and Osmania biscuits, has been at the receiving end of hyper-nationalists in India, who repeatedly question the store owners' allegiance to the country. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Amid this new controversy, we take a look at what happened at Karachi Bakery on Saturday, just hours before a ceasefire was announced between India and Pakistan, and the history of this brand. Right-wing elements attack Karachi Bakery On Saturday (May 10), an outlet of Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad's Shamshabad was vandalised by an angry mob of right-wing activists. Visuals of the incident show a group of men hitting the bakery's signboard displaying the work 'Karachi' with sticks and shouting slogans of 'Pakistan Murdabad' and 'Jai Jawan', alluding to Indian troops and Operation Sindoor. Men calling themselves nationalists vandalising an Indian owned Karachi bakery in Hyderabad. It's a 6-decade old Indian brand founded by founded by Khanchand Ramnani. Poor Karachi bakery that has nothing to do with Pakistan becomes the victim of idiocy every single time. — Anusha Ravi Sood (@anusharavi10) May 11, 2025 Confirming the incident, K Balaraju, inspector, RGI Airport Police Station, said, 'No employees at the bakery were harmed. No serious damage was done. We were on the spot within a few minutes of the incident and could disperse the members.' This incident comes just days after another Karachi Bakery store in Hyderabad was embroiled in a India-Pakistan protest. At the height of the conflict last week, protesters were seen planting tricolour flags at the Banjara Hills Branch of the bakery. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Moreover, a group of people protested outside Karachi Bakery's outlet in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh. A video of the protest showed members demanding the name be changed, claiming it was unacceptable to name an Indian business after a Pakistani city. The police intervened just in time, preventing protesters from tearing down the signboard. These incidents led to the owners of Karachi Bakery to reiterate its love for India. On Instagram, the owners of the famous store posted a message, asserting that it was 'proudly Indian'. 'Our name is part of our history, not our nationality,' it added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When Karachi Bakery felt the heat This isn't the first brush with trouble for the famous Karachi Bakery. In fact, each time there are war clouds over India and Pakistan, the confectionery store has faced trouble. In Mumbai, following the 26/11 terror attacks of 2008, both the Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) took turns targeting the bakery. A video posted by Shiv Sena's Nitin Nandgaonkar's Facebook page showed him speaking to the owner of the store in the Mumbai suburban area of Bandra. The Sena leader asked the shop owner to change the store's name to 'something in Marathi'. The MNS even issued a legal notice in 2020. Eventually, under financial strain and continuous pressure, the Mumbai branch shut down in 2021. The MNS claimed victory with the party's vice president Haji Saif Shaikh writing on X, 'After massive protest for its name, Karachi Bakery finally closes its only shop in Mumbai.' Then again, in 2019, after the Pulwama attack — in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force troops were killed — Karachi Bakery's Indiranagar branch in Bengaluru was forced to cover the word 'Karachi' on its signboard following threats from a group of agitators. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What's in a name? The history of Karachi Bakery But what's the history behind the famous confectionery store? Does it have any links to Pakistan? Karachi Bakery, founded in a bylane near the outlet in Moazzam Jahi Market in Hyderabad, began in 1953 by Khanchand Ramnani, a Hindu Sindhi who migrated from Karachi during Partition. Ramnani's grandsons recount how the move occurred amid the horrific days of the great divide. According to them, Khanchand, who had a food and bakery business in Sindh, decided to move to India along with his four sons. At the time, armed with just a few recipes and the memory of his city, Karachi, Khanchand decided to name the store as 'Karachi Bakery' as an ode to the city he was forced to leave behind. Karachi Bakery is a well-known establishment in Hyderabad since 1953. It has often been the focus of protests during periods of heightened India-Pakistan tensions. Image Courtesy: Flickr As current promoters Rajesh and Harish Ramnani were quoted as saying, 'Our grandfather named it after his hometown. Karachi was where he came from, Hyderabad is where he rebuilt his life.' In the initial years, Karachi Bakery sold bakery and food items sourced from third parties. However, in 1960, the owner began selling handcrafted fruit and Osmania biscuits, which became an instant favourite of the people of Hyderabad. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It was only in 2007 that Karachi Bakery opened a second store in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. Today, years after being established, Karachi Bakery operates over 36 outlets across India in major cities such as Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Gurugram. It also exports its products to more than 20 countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and those in the Gulf. And even as some attack the famous store amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions, there are those who condemn it. One X user wrote, 'Every time something happens with Pakistan, this establishment is targeted by radicals. They are from Sindh, Karachi was once our land. Let's make it that way again rather than targeting poor Sindhi Hindu owners of this iconic bakery for cheap politics.' Another added, 'This is next-level stupidity. There are Sindhis, Parsis who all moved out of Karachi during partition. In fact, there are people with the Karachiwala surname. That doesn't mean you end up attacking people. Let our armed forces deal with our enemies at the border and just pray for them.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
'Sindhi family came to India during partition': What's in a name? Asks Hyderabad's famed Karachi Bakery as India-Pak war rages on
HYDERABAD: It was just a yearning for his lost home and the need to keep its memory alive that drove Khanchand Ramnani to name his business ' ' after his family sought refuge in Hyderabad post the Partition in 1947. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now File pic of first Karachi Bakery outlet in 1953' Just like many other refugees from Sindh who incorporated Karachi into the brand names of their businesses, the Ramnani family went on to build one of the most sought after homegrown cookie brands on the back of the success of their now globally acclaimed fruit biscuits. Karachi Bakery outlet in MJ Market now Unfortunately, whenever tensions between India and Pakistan simmer, the brand comes under fire. Today too, as India and Pakistan battle rages along the country's borders, this successful Sindhi enterprise finds itself facing the brunt of protests objecting against the name 'Karachi'. After protests erupted in Hyderabad on Thursday, the promoters approached chief minister Revanth Reddy and the police seeking support in protecting their business. "My grandfather fled to India during Partition with his family with just the clothes on their back. He just wanted to keep the name of the place he came from and the legacy and heritage of our roots alive and decided upon the name. But Karachi Biscuits is a proud Hyderabadi brand that was born here," says Vijay Ramnani, one of the promoters of the bakery. Though initially reluctant to talk about the issue for fear of coming into the spotlight, Ramnani told TOI: "Karachi is a popular suffix to many stores adopted by Sindhis Hindus who migrated during the partition to various cities. I don't know why protesters are going after the name, which has nothing to do with nationality or Pakistan. We are just being unfairly targeted," he laments. Though Khanchand Ramnani passed away in the 1990's, the bakery that started out with one store at the iconic Moazzamjahi market in the old city of Hyderabad in 1953, has endured, growing to over 35 outlets across the country. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "People love us for our taste. Four generations have grown up enjoying our biscuits in Hyderabad. My grandfather first started out supplying coal to transporters and then baking breads on that coal. He later went on to add cookies and fruit biscuits that are shipped across the world," he adds. The secret of the famed Karachi fruit biscuit, he says, is a closely guarded family secret that has travelled from Hyderabad in Pakistan to Hyderabad in India.
