A group of self-styled activists in Bengaluru stormed into a Karachi Bakery outlet and forced its staff to cover the ‘Karachi’ part of its signboard. The incident happened on February 22 in Halasuru area when a few men assembled outside the shop to protest against the usage of the word ‘Karachi’, which is Pakistan’s largest city. The men who identified themselves as ‘social workers’ were protesting against Pakistan in the aftermath of the recent Pulwama terror attack in which over 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives.
According to a report by Deccan Herald, the staff tried to reason with the group by telling them that the shop is owned by an ‘Indian Hindu’. They even hosted the national flag to convince them. However, the group remained defiant and justified their actions in the name of patriotism.
The men were later arrested by the police and were booked for rioting and criminal breach of trust. No damage to the property was reported.
Founded by Shri Khanchnad Ramnani in 1953, who had migrated to India after the partition, Karachi Bakery is based out of Hyderabad and has numerous branches in different states of south India. However, it had to justify the same by putting out an official statement on social media.
#KarachiBakery pic.twitter.com/S5KHB7Nm0b
— Karachi Bakery (@KarachiBakery) February 23, 2019
Meanwhile, Twitteratti condemned the incident with many labelling it vigilantism and vandalism:
Karachi Bakery was started by a man from Sindh named Khanchand Ramnani, who settled in Hyderabad after Partition….but what do illiterate vigilantes unleashed by the Sangh Parivar know about being refugees and losing the place that is home https://t.co/4JGlkJW1q6
— anjali mody (@AnjaliMody1) February 22, 2019
Really! Karachi bakery has to issue a statement with our tricolour in it to prove its Indian? What have we come down to ? Remember Live and let live? #KarachiBakery
“Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding.” #MahatmaGandhi pic.twitter.com/7ILjTJRgZ0— Rohini Swamy (@Rohini_Swamy) February 24, 2019
Karachi Bakery is run by Sindhis.Sindhis are a community of Hindu refugees who fled Pakistan and settled in India in 1947. An ideal community which started from scratch and became successful job creators.Not one Sindhi ever became terrorist.Takes extreme cowardice to attack them
— True Indology (@TrueIndology) February 24, 2019
A mob of Hindu fascists downed m stormed a bakery, asking, “Are you Hindu or Muslim? Do you have any Muslim employee? What is your connection with Pakistan?”
Nazi metaphors are lazy but we are at Kristallnacht level anti-Muslim fascism in India.
— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) February 24, 2019
The point is that the mobs (on either side) don’t care about logic. Tomorrow, if someone convinces/pays them to destroy India Gate, they might just do that as well. I am truly ashamed what happened to Karachi Bakery and what might follow. https://t.co/9YxhgJWqoj
— Deep (@open_highway) February 24, 2019
In the wake of the recent Pulwama terror attack, an ‘anti-Pakistan’ sentiment is being witnessed across India. Protests criticising Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar are being organised at several places. Moreover, there have been many incidents where Kashmiri citizens were subject to harassment and assault.
