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Delhi Bar body bans Pepsi, Coke

In response to sanctions imposed on India by the United States, the Delhi High Court Bar Association has imposed sanctions of its own.

Thus, high court canteens will henceforth serve only the desi Campa Cola, while barring both Coke and Pepsi from being served.

In a statement, the HCBA deplored the hurt caused to India's pride by the sanctions, appealed to the country to impose sanctions of its own by boycotting all US-branded goods, and condemned the "rude and unbecoming remarks" of US President Bill Clinton.

HCBA secretary Anoop Bajpai, however, denied that there was any strict ban on the stocking of Pepsi or Coke. Reiterating that there was no direct order by the HCBA had not asked canteens to stop stocking Pepsi and Coke, Bajpai said canteens had stopped stocking the two brands because of falling demands.

A canteen operator, however, tells the opposite tale. "There was demand, but I received a copy of the resolution by the HCBA, and on the same day I was asked to stop stocking those brands. There are still some lawyers who come in and ask for Pepsi or Coke," he added.

The contractors's biggest problem is that Campa Cola is not freely available, supplies being irregular and unpredictable.

Given the situation, some canteens have run out of soft drinks and, as a result, the HCBA president is understood to have relaxed the ban.

No official intimation of such relaxation, however, has been received by the canteen contractors as yet.

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