From Hijab to Halal: Bommai says govt looking into ‘serious objections’

Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that the state government will look into serious objections" regarding 'halal' meat issue that has been raised by several Hindu organisations recently.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that the state government will look into 'halal' meat issue as "serious objections" have now been raised about it. "The halal issue has just started. We have to study it. It's a practice that is going on. Now serious objections have been raised about it. I will look into it," Bommai said in a press conference.

After hijab row overshadowed Karnataka government for a month clamour to ban halal meat has taken over

Asked about the call for boycott of halal meat by some right-wing organizations, Bommai said, "As far as my government is concerned, we are not right-wing or left-wing, only growth wing." This comes after BJP's National General Secretary C T Ravi compared Halal meat to ‘economic jihad’, saying that ‘halal’ is used like a jihad so that Muslims should not do business with others.

“Halal is an economic Jihad. It means that it is used like a Jihad so that Muslims should not do business with others. It has been imposed. When they think that Halal meat should be used, what is wrong in saying that it should not be used?” C T Ravi said.

Whereas the state's Education Minister thought government nothing his government can do about it, considering it's a religious practice, “There's nothing that government can do in the matter of Halal meat. It's a religious practice and some people believe in it. Halal is not the subject that comes under the purview of the government”

Opposition leaders have accused the BJP government of allowing such issues to come up in view of assembly polls next year.

Congress leader Priyanka Kharge said BJP wants "to turn Karnataka into Uttar Pradesh". he further added, "I think the BJP has lost the plot in Karnataka and they want to make this UP. They have no issues to take to people so they are bringing issues like Kashmir Files, ban on economic activities of minorities and now this question of halal meat. We are already reeling under economic distress and they are out to make Karnataka - a very progressive state into Uttar Pradesh. This is just an election tactic," he said.

Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao referred to the hijab row and to "ban" on Muslim vendors at temple fairs and said real issues concerning people such as girls' education are being ignored.

"Halal meat or no halal meat, who cares? If people want to buy halal meat they will buy and if people don't want to buy halal meat, they won't buy it. There's no rule. This is somewhere a focused target. It is very, very bad for the country. I condemn the approach of the Bommai government," Rao said.

Meanwhile, many took to twitter to chime into the controversy, with BJP's Kapil Mishra saying, "Those who run a parallel economy in the name of "Halal", Those who boycott everything that is "non halal", Same people are now crying that they are not allowed to do business around Hindu temples. If u want inclusiveness, let's start by ending 'halal'."

While, Amar Prasad Reddy, from Tamil Nadu BJP, wrote: “Hindus should not consume Halal Foods. It's against our Hindu Dharma.”

The ban on Muslim traders at local fairs and annual festivals in various parts of Karnataka, the killing of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha by a Muslim gang in Shivamogga, RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat's statements that ‘Saffron flag can replace the Tricolour,’ and demands for ban on madrasas and halal meat during Ugadi all came during a time of heightened communal tension in the state owing to the controversy on the hijab ban.