Netizens in India have started demanding a boycott of Halal meat and products saying that non-Muslims should not be allowed to consume food that is prepared according to Islamic rites.
This demand comes following the arrest of a Chennai bakery owner who in an ad for his shop had mentioned “Made by Jains on orders, no Muslim staff”.
The episode has led to people raise questions about the prevalence and endorsement of Halal meat and products in food outlets, including government owned institutions.
Halal in Arabic means ‘permissible’. In the Halal method of slaughtering, the animal or the bird is killed by cutting through its jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe that drains out all the blood, leading to its slow death. Halal certification mandates that the process must be performed only by a Muslim and the name of Allah must be invoked while slaughtering. Any deviation from the mandated process renders the meat ‘haram’ (forbidden).
Halal is seen as imposition of Islamic religious beliefs and practices over non-Muslims. It is also seen as leading to monoculturalism and monopoly as they restrict culinary diversity and keep non-Muslims out of business and employment opportunities.
Constitutional experts and lawyers have even pointed out that endorsement of Halal certification and serving Halal food is illegal and unconstitutional. They have pointed that it violates Article 25 and Article 27 as it violates the freedom to profess, practice and propagate one’s own religion and makes a person pay tax the proceeds of which are diverted to promotion of one particular religion.
Many have come out to clarify that they are not against Muslims eating Halal meat but only against the imposition of Halal on non-Muslims.
A few years back in 2013, Halal labelling was withdrawn from Sri Lanka after Buddhist monks campaigned against Halal meat and other products with Halal certification saying that they cannot be forced consume products prepared according to Islamic rites.
It must be noted that Halal is not just restricted to food. There are Halal medicines, Halal cosmetics, Halal clothing, Hala hotels, Halal land and even Halal tour packages!