Right wing group calls for halal-free Diwali in Karnataka

Fringe outfits have called for a boycott of halal-certified products ahead of Diwali in Karnataka, much like the controversy spurred before Ugadi, another prominent Hindu festival in the state.

Pro-Hindu organisations on Tuesday called for a ‘halal-free’ Diwali in Karnataka and demanded multinational food chains segregate halal and non-halal food items at their outlets.

A member of a pro-Hindu group called for a boycott of halal-certified products this Diwali. (Screengrab of video by Imran Khan-Twitter)

Launching a campaign against halal foods, some persons also staged a demonstration outside some branches of KFC and McDonald's. Right-wing groups like the Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi and the Sriram Sena have joined hands and demanded these companies not serve halal-certified meat to non-Muslims.

READ | Bajrang Dal members attack Karnataka Muslim man selling 'halal' meat, case filed

Mohan Gowda, the spokesperson of the Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi, told news agency PTI they hd begun a drive across districts in the neighbouring states of Goa and Maharashtra too, along with Sriram Sena members.

While staging a demonstration in Bengaluru in front of a McDonald's and KFC store, Gowda told PTI the campaign was launched in the city and added, “McDonald and KFC are serving only Halal certified meat. Compelling Hindus to eat Halal meat is against the Hindu faith. We have submitted a memorandum to the KFC and the McDonald management not to serve Halal products to Hindus.”

A member of a pro-Hindu group is heard calling for a boycott of halal-certified products in a video that surfaced on social media. “The Indian government does not allow the parallel economy that they are running. Why are they imposing halal-certified food on Hindus and other non-Muslims?” he says.

READ | ‘Halal meat is economic jihad’,BJP's Ravi adds fuel to K'taka's communal discord

The groups have demanded that the international food chains should categorise their menus into halal and non-halal items. The memorandum further demands that Hindus should not be served Halal products and states that these changes must be implemented within a week.

The right wing groups have also warned of widespread protests across the state and a nationwide boycott of their products if they fail to implement their demands.

(With PTI inputs)