With some right-wing groups now calling for a boycott of ‘halal’ meat, BJP national general secretary C.T. Ravi compared Halal food to ‘economic jihad’. For the past few days, social media has been flooded with messages urging Hindus to abstain from halal meat, especially after Ugadi, the Hindu New Year festival.
A day after Ugadi, a section of “non-vegetarian” Hindus offer meat to the god and celebrate the new year. Many offer meat that some right-wing activists are asking people to give up. The call comes after a ban on Muslim vendors around temples during Hindu religious fairs in parts of Karnataka.
Ravi told reporters in Bengaluru, “Halal is an economic jihad. This means that it is used as a jihad so that Muslims do not trade with others. It has been installed. When they think that halal meat should be used, what is wrong in saying that it should not be used?”
He said that halal meat is offered to ‘their god’ who is dear to them (Muslims), but for Hindus, it is someone’s leftover. He also said that Halal has been designed in a systematic manner so that the products are procured only from Muslims and not from others.
Ravi wanted to know, “When Muslims refuse to buy meat from Hindus, why do you insist on Hindus to buy from them? What right do people have to ask this?” When asked about the boycott of Halal meat, the BJP leader said that such trade practices are not one-sided but two-way. He said that if Muslims agreed to eat non-halal meat, then these people (Hindus) would also use halal meat.
Meanwhile, former chief minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy condemned such trends and asked Hindu youth not to “spoil” the state, which is a “garden of racial peace and faith”. “I want to ask the government where do you want to take this state. I ask the Hindu youth not to spoil the state with folded hands. Reminding people that they will not be in the world forever, he said that they should not ruin the peace and harmony in Karnataka. He appealed to the youth to stay away from those who disturb the peace as difficulties will come in the days to come.