After South, East MCDs: Now North MCD wants jhatka-halal distinction

Following in the footsteps of the East and South MCDs, the North corporation Tuesday passed a resolution for restaurants or shops to “mandatorily” display whether the meat they sell or serve is cut using the ‘halal’ or ‘jhatka’ method. The BJP is in power in all three corporations in Delhi, polls for which will be held next year.

Under ‘jhatka’, an animal is slaughtered in one go, while in ‘halal’, an animal slowly bleeds to death after cutting a vein. There are thousands of restaurants in the 104 wards of four zones falling under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation. Of these, meat is served in about 90 per cent of restaurants but it is not mentioned whether it is ‘halal’ or ‘jhatka’, said the resolution passed by the North MCD panel. Similarly, meat shops do not make the distinction, it said.

“According to Hinduism and Sikhism, eating ‘halal’ meat is forbidden and against religion. Therefore, the committee resolves that this direction be given to restaurants and meat shops that it should be written mandatorily about the meat being sold and served by them, that ‘halal’ or ‘jhatka’ meat is available here”, the resolution added.

As reported earlier, both meat shop and restaurant owners have been critical of the move, saying not only will this impact business, but also squeeze Muslim-owned businesses that typically supply ‘halal’ meat, which is served in the majority of establishments.

Leader of the house of North MCD, BJP’s Yogesh Verma, said, “The proposal was brought keeping in mind people’s sentiment. There were some concerns that they should know what meat they were eating. So we said that everything should be specified.”

A similar proposal was passed by South MCD in December last year and in East MCD’s meet in 2018 stating that shop owners have to put up boards prominently, specifying which type of meat is being served.

Leader of house of South MCD, Narendra Chawla, had said at the time that the move will increase employment opportunities for the Khatik community, some of whose members slaughter animals using the jhatka method. Khatiks are Scheduled Castes who live in Delhi and several parts of North India. East MCD’s then standing committee chairman Satyapal had said there are several Hindus who do not eat ‘halal’ meat and the decision was taken to ensure their religious sentiments are not hurt.

In 2017, the SDMC had proposed that meat and its products were not to be displayed in the open, citing hygiene and “sentiments of people affected by the sight” of meat as the main reasons behind the move. The move was not implemented after protests from shop owners.