K Surendran, senior leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former saffron party chief in Kerala, visited a Zudio outlet in Kozhikode and purchased outfits to express solidarity with the Tata Group, which has faced protests over alleged complicity in the Gaza genocide.
In a Facebook post, Surendran condemned the boycott campaign as “anti-national” and labelled the protesters “religious extremists” and “terrorists.”
He also shared a video of purchasing clothes there.
He said: “The boycott calls against Tata, the backbone of the Indian economy, by religious extremists are nothing short of a call for insurrection against the nation. Those opposing Zudio today for supporting Israel will undoubtedly call for a boycott of India tomorrow. Such anti-national activities must be nipped in the bud. The soft stance taken by the Congress and CPI(M) towards religious extremism poses a serious threat to the country.”
The controversy stems from a May 28 protest by the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) outside a Zudio store, a Tata-owned fashion brand, in Kozhikode.
Around 50 activists, part of the Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP) and the BDS India movement, accused Tata of supporting Israel’s military operations through defence and financial ties, including supplying vehicles and aerospace investments.
The protesters, displaying Palestinian flags and placards with slogans like “Boycott Zudio,” briefly shut down the outlet.
Placards at the protest read, “Our silence funds the bombing” and “Zudio supports genocide.”
The Muslim student group is running a social media campaign with slogans such as “Bloodstains on new clothes – Boycott brands that support the genocide in Gaza.”
Similar protests were held in multiple cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Patna, Visakhapatnam, Chandigarh, Rohtak, and Vijayawada. On May 28, the Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP) staged a protest outside Zudio’s Secunderabad outlet.
Many BJP supporters and leaders took to social media to launch a campaign against the SIO activists, labelling them as “anti-nationals” and “terrorists.”
Surendran’s visit and remarks have sparked debate, with critics arguing his “terrorist” label inflames tensions.
The protest is part of a broader Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign targeting Tata brands like Zudio and Westside across India. The Tata Group has not publicly responded to the allegations.
 snd former saffron party chief in Kerala, visited a Zudio outlet in Kozhikode and purchased outfits to express solidarity with the Tata Group, which has faced protests over alleged complicity in the Gaza genocide.){kind=link}