Pepsi, Coke face Left ire in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The High Court ruling allowing Pepsi and Coca-Cola to market their products in Kerala has brought little cheer to the cola majors in the state, with both brands being targeted by anti-cola activists.

On Sunday morning, supporters of the CPI-backed All India Youth Front marched to a Pepsi godown here and smashed several crates of cola bottles, even as a handful of policemen made a futile attempt to stop them.

This was a day after the CPM’s youth cadre Democratic Youth Front of India carried out similar attacks in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. Even the CPI(ML) Red Flag has vowed not to permit sales of cola brands in the state.

Reacting to the attacks on cola godowns in the state, chief minister VS Achuthanandan said in Delhi that the attacks reflected “the emotions of the public”. The HC has quashed his government’s decision to ban sale of colas in the state.

Meanwhile, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala asid that there was nothing wrong in the state government banning colas. However, the Bureau of Indian Standards should lay down standards for various beverages and the cola brands should adhere to those standards, he said.