By Siddhartha Rai / First Post
New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliate Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is readying the launch of a legal missile at the practice of ‘Halal’ and its certification in India. The VHP move will hinge on the examples of Article 370 and 35A of the Constitution that was scrapped, and is likely to take the ‘Halal versus Jhatka’ controversy to another level.
In an exclusive conversation with Firstpost, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said that the parishad was preparing to take the issue of Halal and Halal certification, which almost every product in the country carries, to court and challenge it legally under the aegis of Consumer Rights and the Fundamental Right to Food.
“We are taking this matter to the courts and to the Indian judiciary. Halalonomics is not just economically discriminatory, but is an attempt by Islamists to capture the minds of people. The money from Halal certification is used to fund terrorists and fight their legal cases. It is an international jihadist and Islamist conspiracy. Halal is only for Muslims, why then should the rest of the people be forced to eat Halal meat and other food products. We have a right to know what we are eating; we have as consumers the right to be protected against malpractices; we have the Constitutional right to our religion. Jhatka or Halal must be displayed and mentioned on all food products and declared openly and publicly,” Jain told Firstpost.
Jain revealed VHP’s entire plan of action against Halal. “We have charted a multi-pronged attack on the practice of Halal and Halal certification in India as it is discriminatory, economically, socially and against all non-Islamic religions. We are organising meetings all across India to educate people about this malpractice. Secondly, we are requesting municipal corporations across India to ensure that all meat shops under their jurisdiction clearly display on big signboards whether they are serving halal or jhatka. All the three corporations of Delhi have passed orders to this effect,” said Surendra Jain.
The VHP has also compiled a booklet on the detrimental effects of Halal and Halal certification—”economic discrimination, social apartheid and religious bigotry and infringement of religious rights of non-Muslims and the bearing of Halal economics on funding terrorism”—which it will distribute across India. Firstpost has seen the booklet.
“We also plan to request the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy, Indian airlines and carriers as also government messes and eateries to either not serve Halal food or serve both Halal and Jhatka,” Jain added.
According to the Halal Niyantran Manch (HNM), the specialised wing of VHP that investigates this issue, Halal certification in India is estimated to generate a revenue of around Rs 1,10,000 crore, which is unaccounted for.
“Where is this money going? Globally Halal taxes account for $3 trillion and by 2030 this will pass $5 trillion. Terrorists that are arrested, their legal cases are fought through this Halal tax collected by Halal Certification Boards. All Halal certification boards are NGOs. They don’t pay any taxes on this money. From a needle to elephants, so to say, that are sold outside India are mandatorily Halal certified. Why?” asked Harendra Sikka, spokesperson of HNM.
“Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Congress regime had made Halal mandatory for all meat exporters. As per definition, no non-Muslim can be associated with the entire production line of a Halal product. In practice, the Congress in just one stroke threw almost three crore non-Muslim butcher communities of the Hindu community out of a job and out of a profession,” Sikka said.
All 56 legal abattoirs in India are Muslim-owned as Halal had been made mandatory, thereby taking away jobs of scores of Hindu butchers, according to Sikka.
“Halal certification is a parallel and black economy that is running in India. There is no provision of Halal in our Constitution and law. No private party can issue any certificate, leave aside Halal. If at all, it is the FSSAI that will certify Halal or otherwise,” Sikka said, adding, “The already existing laws in this respect are not implemented. It is clearly mentioned by FSSAI that all animals have to be mandatorily stunned before killing them, but this is not done and not enforced.”
“Forcing all non-Muslims to consume Halal products is imposing Sharia on India from a back door. Even Parliament was serving Halal food till very recently when we approached Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, apprised him of the situation to his surprise, and non-vegetarian food was consequently removed from the menu,” Sikka said.
This article first appeared on firstpost.com