Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary CT Ravi on Tuesday said that halal meat is part of an “economic jihad” by the Muslim community.
“Halal is an economic jihad. It has been put in place so that Muslims don’t do business with others, which has been forced upon them,” Ravi, the BJP legislator from Chikmagalur, said in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
“How they (Muslims) feel that halal has to be imposed, the same way it is not wrong for others (right-wing groups) to say not to use it,” he added. The statements come a day after the Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi, a right-wing group, gave a clarion call to stop buying halal meat as animals culled in this process was done so by offering it to “Allah” and the same would be offensive if used by Hindus to offer to their gods.
The ban on halal meat is being viewed as an extension of the ongoing onslaught against the Muslim population in the state which began to take shape after the hijab row and later manifested into restrictions against the community from taking part in Hindu religious fairs, people aware of developments said.
HD Kumaraswamy, the former chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) or JD (S) leader on Tuesday lashed out at the BJP, stating that the government is responsible to protect all 65 million people in the state and not just one community. He added that the BJP is backing such bans demanded by the right-wing groups as the 2023 assembly elections are in fray.
{{/usCountry}}HD Kumaraswamy, the former chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) or JD (S) leader on Tuesday lashed out at the BJP, stating that the government is responsible to protect all 65 million people in the state and not just one community. He added that the BJP is backing such bans demanded by the right-wing groups as the 2023 assembly elections are in fray.
{{/usCountry}}“Our chief minister is a puppet of particular organisations (apparently a reference to RSS),” Kumaraswamy said.
He added that Bommai was running the government based on their (right-wing organisations) direction. “To safeguard his seat, whatever their giving direction, he is taking decision(s)”, he said.
He appealed to the youths to shun those who disturb peace as there would be difficult days ahead.
The JD(S) second-in-command held the Congress accountable for the rise in communal politics.
“Congress brought such a government in the State. Now, the Congress calls the BJP government immoral. Who’s responsible for it? Neither the JD(S) nor H D Kumaraswamy is responsible for the current situation. Because of the tortures of Congress, people of the State are suffering,” Kumaraswamy alleged.
At least five ministers from the Bommai government could not be reached for comment.
On Monday, Hindu Janajagrithi Samithi said that they are starting a campaign against the purchase of halal meat as it is “culled under Islamic practices and cannot be offered to Hindu gods”. “During Ugadi (considered the New Year for Kannadigas), there are a lot of purchases of meat, and we are starting a campaign against Halaal meat. As per Islam, Halaal meat is first offered to Allah, and the same cannot be offered to Hindu gods,” Mohan Gowda, the Samithi spokesperson, had told HT.
Ugadi is an important festival in Karnataka, Andra Pradesh and Telangana, and meat is consumed the day after the festival.