The owners of Karachi Bakery are as Hyderabadi — and Indian — as anyone else. Forcing them to prove their loyalty simply because they chose to remember their hometown, which they had to leave after Partition, is not just unfair — it’s disgraceful. Being trolled, abused, and having their loyalty questioned only reflects poorly on our society.
There is a , operating peacefully since 1911. That bakery, in Pakistan’s Hyderabad, has never faced trouble over its name — despite India and Pakistan having fought several wars since Partition.
This time, as tensions escalated to include drone strikes and shelling, a group of people protested outside Karachi Bakery’s outlet in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh. While no such incident has occured in Hyderabad so far, the owner had to publicly appeal to citizens not to target them.
“WE ARE PROUDLY INDIAN. KARACHI BAKERY is 100% Indian Brand, founded in Hyderabad, India in 1953. Our name is a part of our history, not our nationality. Please SUPPORT US for who we are … An Indian Brand SERVING India with LOVE,” the brand wrote in an post.
The current owners also told PTI that the name is rooted in Partition-era legacy, not ideology. The fact that so much trolling and hate has been directed at an Indian brand simply for its name shows just how poorly we engage with our past and heritage.
No matter what happens in the world, we can’t change our past. The fact is, India and Pakistan share a long, intertwined history. So it should be no surprise that families wishing to honour their past use names that remind them of their origins.
Who are we to deny the Ramnani family their legacy and their decision to preserve a part of it through the bakery’s name? It is part of their identity. There is also a Hyderabad in Pakistan — should we erase or rename our own Hyderabad because of that? The name has nothing to do with our neighbouring country’s politics, and anyone with an iota of sense should understand that.
I’m sure many of the protesters in Vizag are regular customers of Karachi Bakery — but understanding why the name matters to the family may be beyond their comprehension.
The Indian right-wing — or anyone uncomfortable with the name Karachi Bakery — needs to understand that they are targeting a Hindu family that has already suffered the trauma of Partition. To subject them to more pain with these unnecessary attacks every time there is a conflict is a disservice to our shared history and heritage.
Everyone in Hyderabad who can — and who values our cultural legacy — should speak up in support of Karachi Bakery. They deserve to feel safe, respected, and loved.
(Edited by Prashant)
