Headline news refers to newspaper stories which appear in large letters at the top of each page and therefore come first for printing. One such example is The Times of India (TOI), an Indian daily established in 1907 and published by Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd.
Hindu Organizations in Karnataka Are Campaigning Against Halal Certification
Hindu organizations in Karnataka are calling on people to boycott products certified halal. Their arguments include that Muslim organizations are profiteering through this practice and funnelling this cash toward anti-national activities.
Mohan Gowda, state spokesperson of Hindu Jana Jagruthi Committee has issued a statement declaring that a campaign to combat Halal certification has begun in his city and will run through to the end of festival season. He further advised people against purchasing crackers or festival products with Halal labels.
The spokesperson alleged that the halal label is misleading and violates secularism, harming traditional butchers and meat traders who depend on traditional labeling methods for business. A number of right-wing Hindu groups, including Sri Ram Sena and Vishva Hindu Sanatana Parishat have joined in this campaign against it.
However, critics of the campaign have asserted that it’s not about religion but about money; they allege that money from halal certification goes towards mosques which seek to implement Sharia law in Australia and they question why the government allows halal-certified products which violate food safety standards to remain on sale; nonetheless they will investigate any serious objections raised against its practice.
The Karnataka Government Is Planning to Ban Halal Meat
Karnataka has found itself at the center of another high-profile debate: state officials plan to ban halal meat sales. Ruling party BJP hopes to pass legislation banning certification of halal products across its state borders.
According to reports in The Times of India, BJP MLA N Ravikumar plans on introducing a bill into state legislature during winter session of assembly that will prohibit food products certified as halal until approved by FSSAI. This move is anticipated to create political uproar within state assembly as it sparks conflict between the two major political parties: BJP and Congress parties.
Ravikumar’s proposal came shortly after Hindu right wing group HJS revived its campaign to ban halal certification, prompting people to boycott products with the label and likening it to economic jihad. This movement began after Lancashire Council passed legislation banning unstunned halal meat – prompting Muslim students to boycott school meals as a response, sparking off calls from HJS leader Geoff Driver for them boycott their lunch and sparking off a disagreement between him and local Muslims over his ban on unstunned halal meat which caused Muslim students boycott school meals along with tension between Driver and local Muslims and local Muslims over his ban decision and subsequent disagreement with local Muslims over this decision causing tension between him and local Muslim leaders over who was rightfully handling his duties with respect.
The Karnataka Government Is Considering Introducing a Bill Prohibiting the Sale of Halal Meat
State government in Tamil Nadu is now considering introducing legislation prohibiting the sale of halal meat following widespread opposition by Hindu organizations against its certification, according to reports in The Times of India and elsewhere. As reported in The Times of India by BJP MLA N Ravikumar he requested permission for his private bill seeking an end to such certification during Winter Assembly Session of 2017.
Issue is creating much discussion. In March, Hindu right-wing leaders called for a boycott of halal meat because its slaughtering methods differ significantly from traditional slaughtering procedures; for instance, cutting an animal’s neck slowly while it remains alive is contrary to Hindu religion and should therefore be banned.
N Ravikumar of the BJP MLA claims that certain Muslim organizations charge lakhs of rupees for issuing halal certificates. Furthermore, he asserts that these funds are then being used by these organizations for anti-national activities and wants only the Food Safety and Security Authority of India can certify meat.
The BJP government led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is expected to introduce this bill, prompting widespread outrage among Hindu groups. Additionally, this move should provoke heated discussions between both parties within the state assembly.
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