Yeh Dil Mange No More

Clerics ask Muslims to shun western brands

Source: Hindustan Times

Date: 12/10/2001

M Tariq Khan
(Lucknow, October 11, 2001
Shun Coke, Pepsi and other Western goods to protest against the US strikes in Afghanistan, prominent Ulema of both the Shia and Sunni sects have urged Muslims.
They also flayed the pro-US attacks resolution of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) and have decided to send protest letters to the embassies of Muslim countries and urged the Centre to observe the policy of Non -Aligned Movement in the present conflict. The decisions were taken at a meeting attended by more than a dozen clerics held here late Wednesday night.
The clerics said the Muslims were feeling alienated from the world in the aftermath of the US strikes. Hence to chalk out a future strategy representing popular sentiments within the community they have mooted the formation of an All India Ulema Council (Majlis-e-Ulema).
A four-member team comprising Maulana Kalbe Jawad, a prominent Shia cleric, Maulana Ateeq Bastavi, Maulana Salman Nadvi and Maulana Sajjad Nomani has been formed to draft a resolution in this respect.
The ulema said there is great unrest within the community, especially among the youths, against US policies towards the developing countries. "The US' ouster from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and its recent walkout from the UN meet on racism at Durban are enough to reveal its hegemonistic intentions," Maulana Sajjad Nomani said.
"If there has to be a jihad then it should be against the policies and products of the US multinationals," he said.
Talking about the possible impact of Pepsi-Cola diktat, the Maulana recalled a similar call against McDonald's by clerics in UK last year. "The company's business in Europe plummeted by 27 per cent," he claimed.