Karachi Bakery Faces Backlash After Pahalgam Attack
Visakhapatnam witnessed a tense scene on Tuesday as members of the Hindu outfit Jana Jagarana Samithi (JJS) staged a protest outside Karachi Bakery, demanding an immediate change in its name.
The protest was triggered by rising public sentiment following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 tourists dead. Protestors gathered outside the bakery’s Venkojipalem outlet, raising slogans like “Vande Mataram” and waving the Indian flag. They claimed the name “Karachi”—a major city in Pakistan—was inappropriate and hurtful to national pride, especially at a time when emotions are running high over Pakistan’s alleged role in cross-border terrorism. The JJS State Convenor shared footage of the protest on social media, reinforcing the group’s demand that the bakery be renamed immediately. “Karachi is a city in Pakistan. Naming a business after it is unacceptable, particularly after what happened in Pahalgam,” he said in the video.
Protestors attempted to remove the signboard of the bakery but were prevented by the local police, who had been deployed to the spot to maintain law and order. While the demonstration remained largely peaceful, tensions were evident as protestors urged both state and central governments to act. The group has demanded not only a change in the bakery’s name but also warned that if no action is taken, a sedition case should be considered against the bakery’s ownership. They argue that the issue is not merely local but touches upon broader questions of national identity and sensitivity in the wake of terrorist attacks. Karachi Bakery, however, has a long and distinctly Indian legacy. Founded in 1953 in Hyderabad by Khanchand Ramnani, a Sindhi Hindu refugee who migrated from Karachi during the 1947 Partition, the bakery is widely known for its baked goods and has no business or ideological ties with Pakistan. The name reflects Ramnani’s place of origin, not any current political affiliation.
Despite its Indian roots, the bakery has periodically faced backlash due to its name, particularly during periods of heightened India-Pakistan tension. As of now, the local administration has not issued any directive regarding a name change. Meanwhile, security has been stepped up around the bakery outlets in Visakhapatnam to prevent further escalation.
