Halal Row: Karnataka Enforces Mandatory 'Stunning' Or 'Jhatka' Of Animals Before Slaughter

In a further hit to meat shops in Karnataka, the state government's animal husbandry department has asked Bengaluru municipal body to enforce compulsory stunning of animals at slaughter houses and chicken shops in Bengaluru.

In the order, the department has also asked authorities to ensure stunning facilities are in place before giving license to meat shops.

¡°We have received complaints from people about the stunning procedure not being followed at slaughter houses and chicken stalls,¡± the department said. It also sought a report on action taken by the Bengaluru municipal body.

Karnataka govt asks BBMP to enforce compulsory ¡®stunning¡¯ of animals

If an animal is killed by stunning it is not 'halal' meat, and the government is making it difficult to follow Halal slaughtering, said an Islamic slaughter. The decision comes on April 1, just ahead of the auspicious month of Ramzan.

This comes after animal lovers pointed towards the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Rules, which were drafted in 2001.

The stunning process ensures the animal is unconscious and insensible to pain before being bled out at the slaughter house.

As per Section 6 in The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001, rule number 4, 'every slaughter house as soon as possible shall provide a separate space for stunning of animals prior to slaughter, bleeding and dressing of the carcasses.'

However, Prabhu Chauhan, the Minister of State for Animal Husbandry Department told TV9 that his department has not issued the mandatory ¡®stunning¡¯ order. "No orders have been issued by our department. Stunning is not mandatory. There was only a letter written that Halal cut should not be practiced. There was no order issued. I will review the letter," he said.

Boycott halal meat controversy

The controversy began when some right-wing groups gave a call to boycott 'Halal' meat, with the Hindu Janajagrithi Samithi, a pro-Hindutva organisation in Karnataka, starting a campaign against the purchase of Halal meat.

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Recently, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary CT Ravi said that the halal meat business is a kind of 'economic jihad'.

"The halal meat business is a kind of 'economic jihad'. The concept of Halal meat means that they can do business among themselves and consume Halal meat only among their people. What is wrong in pointing it as wrong," he said.

Opposition leaders in Karnataka accused the BJP government of deliberately bringing up such issues to come up in view of assembly polls next year.

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