New Delhi: Protesters were seen on Saturday outside Domino’s Pizza outlets across several cities in the country as part of a nationwide campaign against the company’s operations in Israel.
The campaign ‘Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine’ is part of a larger Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement launched in India, The Siasat Daily reported.
BDS campaign, aligning with similar global movement, seeks to boycott companies that act in support of Israel’s military actions against Palestinians.
Protesters, calling out Domino’s association with more than 33 franchises in Israel, came out protesting in cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Visakhapatnam, Patna, and Vijayawada.
These franchises, according to protesters, gave free meals to Israel troops operating in Gaza.
Several civil society groups and organisations, including the Revolutionary Workers’ Party of India (RWPI), Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Disha Students’ Organisation, Stree Mukti League, and the Delhi State Anganwadi Workers’ and Helpers’ Union joined hands in organizing the protests.
One of the protesters identified as Priyamvada, according to The Siasat Daily, said that over 51,000 Palestinians have been killed and injured lakhs in Israel’s attack, leaving Gaza Strip under ‘complete siege for the last 60 days, with not a bottle of water entering the region’.
Swapnaja, another protester representing the BDS India campaign, said that due to the impact of the movement sports brand Puma ended its ties with the Israeli Football Association and fast food chains like KFC, McDonald’s, and Pizza Hut reported major losses in Turkey and Egypt.
‘Our collective power can force the mightiest imperialist powers, the biggest companies, and the Zionist Israel to their knees,’ she was quoted as saying.
The protestors called upon Indian citizens to support BDS in its efforts to further expanding its campaign, to pressure corporations and government to ‘sever its ties with Israel’, according to the report.