Seven Bajrang Dal members were arrested on Thursday after an owner of a Chicken stall was attacked in Karnataka’s Shivamogga on Wednesday for selling ‘Halal’ meat and not ‘Jhatka’.
Similar incidents were reported from parts of Karnataka ahead of the Ugadi festival where Hindu right wing outfits demanded that Halal meat be banned, especially around and during the time of Hindu festivals in the state.
‘Halal’ in Arabic essentially means permissible, adhering to the Islamic form of slaughtering of animals or poultry, which involves killing through a cut to the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe so that all blood is drained from the carcass. However, besides meat, any food, including vegetables and water are ‘halal’.
On Wednesday, adding fuel to the controversy, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the state government would look into the “serious objections” raised over halal meat, with some right-wing groups giving a call to boycott it.
The Chief Minister also said as far as his government is concerned there are “only wings of growth”, and no right-wing or left-wing.
“It (halal issue) has just now started. We have to study in entirety, because it has nothing to do with any rules. It is a practice which was going on. Now, serious objections have been raised regarding it. We will look into that,” Bommai said in response to a question on the government’s stand on the halal issue.
“We will make our stand known later. Various organisations will be doing their own campaigns, we know what to respond to and what not to. Where it is required, we will respond. We don’t (respond), when it is not required,” he said when asked to give clarity on a campaign to boycott halal by Hindu organisations.
Some right-wing groups have given a call to boycott halal meat, ahead of ‘varshadodaku’, the day after Ugadi when many communities in the state have a non-vegetarian feast. BJP national general secretary C T Ravi on Tuesday had even called halal food “economic jihad”.
Asked about such issues disturbing the cordial atmosphere in the state, the Chief Minister said, “Despite such things, we have seen that the law and order and the cordial atmosphere in the state is not disturbed. We will take care of it in the future as well.”
To a question that there is a trend of right-wing organisations’ involvement behind such issues, he said, “As far as my government is concerned, there are only wings of growth. There is no right-wing or left-wing…our central idea is peace, development and security for the common man.” Regarding nearly 61 progressive thinkers writing to him with an appeal to check religious hatred in the state, Bommai said, “I will study the content and issues they have raised, and look into the factual position on the ground. I will consider the issues they have raised and will decide on how to tackle it in the days to come.”
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