KOZHIKODE: Even as protests gather momentum, especially in Kerala, against Tata-owned fashion retailer Zudio, accused of indirect business ties with Israel, there has been an unexpected twist. Amid slogans of dissent and placards condemning alleged complicity in a humanitarian crisis, Zudio’s outlets are experiencing record-breaking footfall and sales, revealing a fascinating and deeply human paradox between public outrage and private consumption.

At the heart of the controversy lies the accusation that Tata Group, through its multiple ventures including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Tata Advanced Systems, maintains defence, technology and surveillance partnerships with Israel, a country currently under international scrutiny for its role in the Gaza conflict.

In Kerala, the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO), student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami, has taken the lead in mobilizing people. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Abdul Wahid, State President of SIO, said, “Israel’s actions are a clear violation of international law and human conscience. Even humanitarian aid ships like the Madleen, led by activists such as Greta Thunberg, are being seized. Supporting companies linked to Israel is akin to funding this violence.”

SIO has launched a multi-tiered protest strategy: street demonstrations, social media campaigns, awareness drives in colleges, and alliances with international pro-human rights organizations. Their slogan, “Bloodstains on New Clothes”, now widely shared across Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), directly targets Zudio’s rising sales as symbolic of consumer apathy.

“We’re not just boycotting a brand,” says Muhammed Shafaque, Kozhikode District President of SIO. “We are boycotting silence. Every rupee spent must reflect conscience. Placards bearing statements like “Zudio Supports Genocide” and “Our Silence Funds the Bombing” have become common sights at protests in cities like Kozhikode, Kochi, Malappuram and Thiruvananthapuram.”