Mumbai Karachi Bakery shut; MNS leader claims credit

The leader has offered to provide employment to the workers who were laid off

After Karachi Bakery shut shop in Mumbai, Haji Saif Shaikh, a local leader of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has claimed credit for it.

"After a massive protest on Karachi Bakery for its name #Karachi, led by Vice President of MNS, the bakery finally closes its only shop in Mumbai. (sic)," MNS party leader Haji Saif Shaikh, who had sparked a controversy over the name of the bakery in 2020, said.

However, the bakery reportedly suffered financial hurdles after a drop in business due to the Covid-19 pandemic which could be the reason for the outlet going out of business.

The MNS leader has offered to provide employment to the workers who were laid off, according to a Mumbai Mirror report.

Earlier, in November 2020, Shaikh had sent a legal notice to the owner of the bakery, saying that the word 'Karachi' hurts the sentiments of ordinary Indians and the Indian Army because it is a Pakistani city. He had demanded the bakery be renamed and the signboard should be in Marathi.

In its response, the bakery owner had said it was established by a Sindhi-Hindu family who migrated from Pakistan. They did not use the name Karachi to hurt the feelings of Indians. In fact, bakery founder Khanchand Ramani had experienced violence by pro-Pakistan elements during Partition, the statement had said.

Earlier, a Shiv Sena worker had taken objection to the name of a shop, 'Karachi Sweets', located in Bandra. The Shiv Sena had later said it was not the party's stand.

(With PTI inputs)