Hindutva groups in Karnataka have demanded a ban on Halal meat ahead of the Ugadi (New Year’s Day) festival on April 2, as they allege money from Halal certification is used for anti-national activities.
The BJP’s national secretary general, CT Ravi, had said that Halal meat is part of the “economic jihad” of the Muslim community. He even said that when Muslims refuse to buy non-Halal meat from Hindus, “why should you insist Hindus buy from you?”
So what exactly is the difference between Halal and non-Halal (Jhatka) meats?
Muslims follow the practice of Halal meat while the Sikh community prefers ‘Jhatka’. The word Halal in Arabic means ‘fit for consumption’. The process involves slaughtering the animal slowly with lines from the Koran. Jhatka, on the other hand, means swift, cutting off the animal’s head with a single blow so that it dies instantly without “much pain.”
Is there any nutritional value in the meat in both processes?
Some experts say they believe that since the blood is drained from the animal’s arteries in the Halal process, removing more toxins as the heart continues to pump after slaughter, it has more nutrition than in Jhatka, where the blood is not drained. properly, which makes the meat tougher and drier.
Clifton Rosa Clifton Rozario, an advocate in Bangalore who is also a nutrition activist, said: “Why are we trying to create a problem here? As responsible citizens, we should call it that… There is no nutritional value associated with slaughtering meat, and this is purely religious.”
Another, Sylvia Karpagam, a public health doctor in Karnataka, said: “If there are calls to boycott halal meat, does (the government) bring any alternative? Science says that good quality protein, vitamins and minerals come from animal foods and this includes meat. Is the government doing anything about the severe malnutrition crisis in the state that has been exacerbated by the closure of ration shops and the midday meal plan? This is a political agenda. The government needs to make animal source foods more accessible to people instead of closing even existing sources. This negatively affects both livelihoods and nutrition.”
In an article in the Free Press Journal, Islamic theology professor Dr. Imam-ul-Unsif said that apart from being a mere religious practice, “halal has no other meaning.” He further said that “Jhatka is more humane in the sense that it does not cause excruciating pain to the animal.”
Is there any logic since an animal is sacrificed in both cases?
According to reports, from a scientific point of view, to keep the meat soft and juicy, the PH level should be around 5.5 after slaughter. In Jhatka meat, the PH value is as high as 7.
The Ugadi festival, which will be celebrated on April 2 in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, on the occasion of the new Hindu lunar calendar, has Hindu families who organize a feast where the meat is consumed. Muslims, according to Islamic practices, can only consume Halal meat.
Muslim merchants also face a ban on setting up stalls at Karnataka’s temple fairs during religious festivals.
Basavaraj Bommai’s government has defended the move, citing a little-known law that prohibits non-Hindus from approaching the temple premises during religious occasions.
The Karnataka Congress blamed the RSS and Sangh Parivar for stoking the controversy ahead of next year’s elections.
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