On May 7, 2025, the Karachi Bakery outlet in Visakhapatnam’s Venkateshwarapalem area was once again the target of vandalism by members of the Hindutva group Jan Jagarana Samiti. Protesters, waving Indian flags and chanting slogans such as “Remove Karachi’s Name, Respect India” and “Vande Mataram,” climbed onto the bakery’s terrace in an attempt to remove its signboard. They demanded an immediate name change, citing the bakery’s association with Karachi, Pakistan, as inappropriate amidst escalating India-Pakistan tensions following the recent Pahalgam terror attack. (Maktoob media)
Police intervened promptly, preventing further escalation. No arrests or injuries were reported. The protesters urged the Union government to file a sedition case against the establishment if the name was not changed.(Maktoob media)
Established in 1953 at Hyderabad’s Mozamjahi Market by Khanchand Ramnani, a Sindhi Hindu migrant from Karachi during the Partition of India, Karachi Bakery has grown into a renowned chain known for its fruit biscuits, Dil Kush, plum cake, and Osmania biscuits. (Maktoob media)
This incident is not isolated. In 2019, following the Pulwama attack, a similar protest occurred at the bakery’s Indiranagar outlet in Bengaluru, where protesters forced the staff to cover up the word ‘Karachi’ on the signboard. In 2021, threats from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led to the closure of its Bandra branch in Mumbai, though the company attributed this to an expired lease agreement. (The Week, The Wire, Maktoob media)
Credit: Maktoob Media
