HYDERABAD: Social media circles were flooded with calls on Monday to boycott dates being sold by the outlets of Karachi Bakery in the city, alleging that they were imported from Israel. People who gave the boycott call said that buying the Israeli products would mean support to its oppression of Palestinian Muslims.
It is said that some youths from the Old City had gone to an outlet of Karachi Bakery, opposite Moazzam Jahi market to buy dates on the occasion of Ramzan. They found that the packets of dates were imported from Israel.
Karachi Bakery authorities said that they are not aware of the country from where the dates are sourced. “We buy the dates from distributors in Hyderabad and Bengaluru and are not sure whether they are imported from Israel or other West Asian countries,” said Khushiram Tolani, manager of Karachi Bakery’s Nampally outlet.
Md Hussain of Reen Dates, a distributor in Hyderabad, shrugged off allegations of import from Israel. “We source palm dates from Al Alwani Dates in Saudi Arabia and countries like Iran, Iraq and UAE. The picture of the dates packet from Israel, circulating on social media, may be imported by some other distributor in Hyderabad,” he said.
Meanwhile, the boycott call did not affect sales at Karachi Bakery outlets. “Ramzan is the month when there is maximum demand for dates in the city and sales have peaked as usual,” added Khushiram.
Meanwhile, buyers of dates from Karachi Bakery are unperturbed by the boycott call. “Dates are made by Allah and grow on trees. It doesn’t matter which country they are grown in. This is a mischief by a handful of politicians, who want to get political mileage during this time. Next time, they may ask to boycott Irani dates alleging that they are grown by Shias,” said Md Sajid of Afzalgunj, a regular buyer of dates from Karachi Bakery.
“If they want to boycott Israel, why don’t they boycott all their products, including medicines and the ventilators in hospitals? Many medicines manufactured by Israel are used by Hyderabadi Muslims. Where does hatred go then? Is it selective as per our comfort? Islam doesn’t preach hatred sahab,” said Yusuf Ismail, a resident of Fateh Darwaza of Old City.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/Call-to-boycott-Karachi-Bakery-for-alleged-sale-of-Israeli-dates/2016/06/14/article3481410.ece