In the wake of the additional 25% tariff imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on India taking effect on August 27, 2025, a private university in Punjab recently ‘banned’ American beverages on its campus.
Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP and founder-Chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU), Ashok Kumar Mittal, in a post on X, said: “Today, in direct response to Trump’s 50% tariffs, LPU has banned American beverages on campus, giving a clarion call for Swadeshi 2.0. The message is clear. India will not bow down to any unfair tactics of the United States. Let’s work together to make India stronger from within.”
Interestingly, as early as August 2003, a state university in Tamil Nadu had taken the fizz out of Pepsi and Coca-Cola by banishing them from its canteen following allegations of toxic pesticides in the drinks.
A report published in The Hindu on August 8, 2003, said: “Amid allegations of the presence of toxic pesticides in soft drinks sold in the country, the Anna University today banished Pepsi and Coca Cola drinks from its sprawling campus at Guindy and Chromepet.”
Quoting a press release from the university, the report said: “The Vice-Chancellor, E. Balagurusamy, ordered the ban of soft drinks manufactured by Pepsi and Coca Cola with immediate effect, considering the welfare of students and employees. The decision, followed yesterday’s announcement by the Chairman, Joint Parliamentary Committee on Food Management in New Delhi that soft drinks manufactured by Pepsi and Coca-Cola would be banished from Parliament.”
E. Balagurusamy, then Vice-Chancellor of Anna University in Chennai, in 2004
| Photo Credit:
M. Moorthy
Following the order, Pepsi and Coca-Cola disappeared from the university canteen, long known for its affordable and quality food, and from other campus outlets as well. This move set the tone for the backlash against multinational beverages and according to a professor, the ban is still on inside the campus. Prof. Balagurusamy ensured a fresh juice stall functioned at the canteen, instead.
Then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa chaired a meeting with Ministers and officials on August 12, 2003, and directed that stringent action be taken if Pepsi and Coca-Cola products in Tamil Nadu were found to contain pesticide residue.
The Chief Minister “took serious note of news reports and desired that the incidence of such levels of pesticide residue in soft drinks sold in Tamil Nadu by Pepsi and Coca-Cola should be immediately investigated.” She directed that samples from each brand be tested at an accredited laboratory in Chennai and at the Central Food Technological Research Institute in Mysore.
Then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in 2003. File
| Photo Credit:
S.R. Raghunathan
Annamalai University follows suit
A few days later, Annamalai University in Chidambaram also banned the sale of Pepsi and Coca-Cola inside the campus. A report published in The Hindu on August 14, 2003, quoting L.B. Venkatrangan, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, said: “Following the findings of certain organisations about the presence of pesticide residue above the permissible limits in these beverages, these brands had been taken out of the shelf of the canteens and hostels in the University.”
He said faculty members and hostel wardens had been directed not to serve these colas during university and departmental functions, hostel day celebrations, and similar events.
At the court
Meanwhile, the issue also reached the courts. The Madras High Court admitted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition from an advocate seeking a direction to the State government to form a committee to examine the contents of Coca-Cola and Pepsi and inspect their production units.
On August 13, 2003, the First Bench comprising the Chief Justice, B. Subhashan Reddy, and Justice A.K. Rajan ordered notices to the Health Secretary and the companies.
The petitioner, G. Rajendran, contended consumers were entitled to know the contents, including the percentage of harmful substances. Relying on the findings of a Delhi-based service forum, and reports alleging the presence of pesticide and other harmful substances above permissible limits, the petitioner wondered how the Health Department had failed to take any steps to analyse the quality of these drinks manufactured and sold in Tamil Nadu.
Tender coconut campaign
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) organised a tender coconut promotion campaign at Sathyamurthy Bhavan in August 2003. Then TNCC president S. Balakrishnan said it was the duty of every citizen to boycott drinks produced by multinationals, as they were harmful to health.
Then TNCC president S. Balakrishnan and other Congress leaders during the campaign for tender coconut at Sathiyamurthy Bhavan in Chennai on August 9, 2003
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives
He charged the MNCs, through their units, were trying to control the country’s economy. Natural drinks such as coconut and palmyra water were not only good for health but also helped farmers get a better price for their produce. The party workers also broke cola bottles.
Three years later, after a regime change in Tamil Nadu, the DMK government too extended support for the ban on Pepsi and Coke. A report published in The Hindu on August 9, 2006, recorded the Tamil Nadu Assembly discussion on this matter.
C. Gnanasekaran of the Congress said in the Assembly that the governments of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh had banned the sale of Coke and Pepsi and asked whether Tamil Nadu would do the same.
In his reply, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said the State government would extend support if the Centre imposed a nationwide ban on Coke and Pepsi. “There were no hurdles in imposing a ban on the soft drinks. But what if Pondicherry or other States allowed their sale after we imposed a ban? Since we have accepted the concept of one India, we will toe the line if the ban was imposed,” Karunanidhi added.
Published – September 02, 2025 01:45 pm IST
