Kozhikode: The Students’ Islamic Organisation (SIO) of India led a major protest outside the Zudio outlet in Kozhikode, Kerala, on June 6, urging people to boycott the Tata-owned fashion brand over its alleged ties with Israel. The demonstration took place during the Eid shopping season, a peak time for apparel sales.
Protesters held placards reading “Zudio supports genocide,” “Our silence funds the bombing,” and “Bloodstains on new clothes – Boycott brands that support the genocide in Gaza,” while waving Palestinian flags. The protest is part of a larger wave of pro-Palestine activism across India, targeting brands accused of having indirect connections with Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
SIO, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, also launched a parallel social media campaign to amplify its call for boycott, echoing sentiments that shopping from such brands indirectly fuels what they describe as genocide. The protests come in response to Israel’s deadly assault on Gaza, launched after the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2024. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, tens of thousands have been killed since.
Zudio, operated by Trent Limited under the Tata Group, is known for its affordable and trendy fashion aimed at young consumers. In addition to Zudio, protesters are also targeting other Tata-owned brands like Westside and international labels such as Zara, accusing them of maintaining commercial links with Israel.
However, the boycott campaign has drawn sharp criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. Former BJP Kerala president K Surendran defended the Tata Group, calling it the “backbone of India’s economy.” Posting a video of himself at a Zudio store on X (formerly Twitter), he slammed the protest as “anti-national madness” and accused the Congress and CPI(M) of encouraging “religious extremism” through their silence.
“Today they target Zudio for supporting Israel, tomorrow they’ll call to boycott India itself,” Surendran remarked, condemning what he labeled a “rebellion against the nation.”
Similar protests have erupted in several Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Patna, Visakhapatnam, Chandigarh, Rohtak, and Vijayawada. Earlier, on May 28, Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP) organized a protest outside Zudio’s outlet in Secunderabad.
The protest movement continues to gain traction as activists across the country push for accountability from corporations they believe are complicit in supporting Israeli actions in Gaza.
