After Hijab, clamour over Halal meat in Karnataka

Close on the heels of the anti-Hijab row, some right-wing groups are now giving a call to boycott Halal meat in Karnataka. BJP national general secretary C T Ravi likened Halal food with ‘economic jehad’. For the past few days, there was a flurry of messages on social media appealing to Hindus to shun Halal meat, especially after Ugadi, which is the Hindu New Year festival.

A day after Ugadi, a section of “non-vegetarian” Hindus offer meat to God and celebrate the New Year. Many offer such meat, which some right-wing activists are asking people to skip.

This call comes close on the heels of a ban on Muslim vendors around temples during the Hindu religious fairs in parts of Karnataka. “Halal is an economic Jehad. It means that it is used like a Jehad so Muslims should not do business with others. It has been imposed. When they think that Halal meat should be used, what is wrong in saying that it should not be used?” Ravi told reporters here.

He said the Halal meat offered to ‘their God’ is dear to them (Muslims) but for Hindus, it is somebody’s leftover. He also said that Halal has been designed in a planned way so that the products should be purchased only from Muslims and not others. “When Muslims refuse to buy meat from Hindus, why should you insist on Hindus to buy from them? What right people have to even ask this?” Ravi sought to know.