Halal or Jhatka? NDMC makes it mandatory for eateries to tell public what meat they serve

In a major development to fight the “Halal Meat Mafia”, North Delhi Mayor Jai Prakash on Wednesday (31 March) approved a proposal making it mandatory for all restaurants, hotels, dhabas and meat shops to put up posters stating whether they serve or sell ‘halal or ‘jhatka’ meat. 

“In Hinduism & Sikhism, ‘halal’ meat is prohibited. So we approved a proposal, making it mandatory for all restaurants, dhabas and meat shops in North Delhi Municipal Corporation to put up posters stating whether they serve or sell ‘halal’ or ‘jhatka’ meat”, Jai Prakash told presspersons .

This decision comes after the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) passed a similar proposal that makes it mandatory to declare whether the meat being served and sold by restaurants and meat shops is ‘halal’ or ‘jhatka’. According to the SDMC, appropriate action would be taken against the shop or restaurant violating this law.

‘Halal’ means “permissible” in Arabic and all Muslims only consume Halal meat. But Hindus and Sikhs who eat meat tend to follow the rule of ‘Jhatka’ where the animal is killed instantly, unlike the Islamic way where the carotid arteries of the animal is severed and the animal dies slowly in agony.

As per the teachings of the Sikh Gurus and the Sikh text, the Guru Granth Sahib, eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner is strictly prohibited.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.