Conspiracy, jihadi control: Hindutva group on halal food

"This is an attempt to establish Jihadi control over India’s economy," the Halal Control Forum said.

New Delhi: Terming halal certification as a conspiracy, the Halal Niyantran Manch or the Halal Control Forum said on Wednesday, September 23, that the certification is aimed at “snatching” employment from Hindus and Sikhs engaged in the animal slaughter trade.

“This is an attempt to establish jihadi control over India’s economy,” the organisation said. “It works to impose Sharia (law) on the country through the back door and provides encouragement and support to anti-national elements.”

The group raised the allegations during a press conference when members of the organisation claimed to have exposed the conspiracies being carried out in the name of halal certification. Forum spokespersons Harinder Sikka and retired judge Pawan Kumar addressed the gathering and discussed issues regarding halal certification.

Sikka said that earlier, halal was limited to animal meat, as “some maulanas,” in collusion with the previous Congress governments, got an order issued through the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) to ensure that no meat could be exported without halal certification.

“The Maulvi providing the halal certification would issue the certificate only when the animal was slaughtered by a Muslim,” the spokesperson said.

‘SCs, Sikhs unemployed due to halal business’

He alleged that several members of the Scheduled Castes and Sikh communities, engaged in the business, became unemployed. “Railways, airlines, airports, and hotels had started purchasing items only when they were halal-certified. In our great Sikh culture, Halal is a sin,” Sikka said. The religious sentiments of the Hindu Sikh community are being attacked by forcing them to eat halal-certified food, he said.

He applauded the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government, saying it deserves commendation for withdrawing the “illegal order by APEDA” following the Forum’s initiative.

Sikka added that anyone opening a jhatka meat shop is reportedly facing “life-threatening attacks”.

‘Congress govts part of anti-Hindu conspiracy’

Meanwhile, Pawan Kumar said “maulanas” have encouraged the Muslim community to purchase everyday items, such as medicines, cosmetics, food and beverages, and even buildings only if they have a halal certificate.

He said the past Congress governments became part of the “anti-Hindu and anti-national conspiracy” and issued an “unconstitutional” order by authorising four Muslim organisations to issue halal certificates.

He raised further allegations that Muslims purchase only 12 per cent of the halal goods, while 88 per cent of the customers are non-Muslims. “A large part of their (non-Muslims) hard-earned money is going to these organisations, which use this money for anti-national activities such as religious conversion, ‘love jihad’, supporting terrorists, creating conversions in Muslim society, etc.”

The retired judge said some maulanas sometimes “provoke the Muslim community by repeatedly saying that ‘Muslims are unsafe’.” Their “outburst,” he said, is proof that their illegal funding has been stopped.

The forum called for large-scale demonstrations on September 28 and 29, urging youth participation in capitals across the country.