'It's Economic Jihad': BJP Leader, Right-Wing Groups Demand 'Halal' Meat Ban, Govt Assures Response

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary CT Ravi has called for boycotting the 'halal' meat, alleging that it was a part of the 'economic jihad' being spread by the Muslim community.

The BJP legislature said that the meat was put in place so that no community member does business with others, which has been forced upon them. He spoke to the media on Tuesday, March 29, in Bengaluru.

"How Muslims feel that halal has to be imposed, the same way it is not wrong for others to say not to use it," Hindustan Times quoted the minister as saying.

Right-Wing Groups Call For Ban

Ravi's comments come a day after the Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi launched a nationwide campaign demanding a ban on Halal meat. Reportedly, they said it would pave the way for India to become an Islamic state.

The group also called for the prohibition of Halal certification labelled food products that are permissible to consume in Islam, excluding pork-related edibles, animal fats and other dairy generated products and all types of alcohol.

According to the report, the group pointed out that the animals culled in this process were done so by offering it to 'Allah', and if Hindus had done the same, it would have been quoted as offensive.

Karnataka Govt's Response

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the government will look into the 'halal' meat issue as 'serious objections' have now been raised about it.

"The halal issue has just started. We have to study it. It's a practice that is going on. Now serious objections have been raised about it. I will look into it," the minister said in a press conference on Wednesday, March 30.

Responding to Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi's call for boycotting, Bommai said that the government was not favouring any wings but looked into what was right. The new demand is being viewed as an extension of the ongoing protest against the community, which has refused to die down in the state.

Calls For Ban On 'Himalaya' Products

Amidst the calls for a 'halal' meat ban, people are also demanding boycotting the pharmaceutical company Himalaya, claiming it uses halal-certified meat in its products. A photo has been widely circulated on social media, where it states that the firm maintains Halalness of the herbal, chemical, food colour products.

It further claims the company's products comply with Islamic Law/ Shariah and are free from any forbidden ingredients under Islamic Law.

Halal Certification

The certification is given for products by several Islamic governments. In India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI ) certification can be seen on almost all processed foods, but it doesn't give halal accreditation in India. Halal certification is provided by many private companies in India, conveying that the products are permissible for the followers of Islam.

According to the Jagran Josh report, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals need certification to confirm that they do not contain anything prohibited for the followers of Islam.

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