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Date:-19-12-2022
Watsupptoday Desk


The halal issue had sparked unrest in March this year after some pro-Hindu right-wing outfits called for a boycott of halal meat during the Ugadi festival. A section of BJP members also wants to give this legal sanctity by passing the bill. As the winter session of Karnataka Assembly in Belagavi started today, there might be a fresh faceoff between BJP and Congress as the Basavaraj Bommai-led government is planning to introduce an anti-halal bill that will prohibit halal meat in the state. BJP MLC N Ravikumar, as per TOI report, has taken the initiative to introduce the bill demanding to ban food certification by any other organizations other than the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The halal issue had sparked unrest in state in March this year after some pro-Hindu right-wing outfits called for a boycott of halal meat during the Ugadi festival. A section of BJP members also wants to give this legal sanctity by passing the bill.Initially, Ravikumar, who is also BJP's state general secretary, had planned to introduce it as private bill for which he had written to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot. However, he is now seeking to table it as a government bill as the party leadership reportedly prefers it to be its official legislation.
The ruling party’s plan to bring anti-halal meat legislation in the Karnataka assembly is expected to trigger political confrontation in the poll-bound state. Ravikumar is likely to meet CM Basavaraj Bommai on Monday in this regard.
Maharashtra MLA attends winter session of Legislature BJP MLA Arvind Bellad, meanwhile, said that majority of the people in the country doesn't believe in halal. “Congress can say what it wants, but the majority of the country doesn't believe in halal. Why should it find a mention on all products,” he questioned.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ravikumar had announced that he will introduce a private bill during the winter session of the assembly to ban Halal certificates issued by Muslim organisation. Alleging that several organisations are charging money for issuing this certification in an unauthorised manner, “The Halal certification, which was earlier restricted to meat, has now been extended to various products like cosmetic goods, food items, among other things.” “FSSAI is the government agency that gives the certification. But who permitted these Muslim organisations to certify halal products? They are not a certified authority to do this. They charge lakhs of rupees to give halal certification. Where does this money go?”. "With an intent to curb this, the bill will certainly help in the process." The move is expected to trigger a war of words between the treasury and opposition benches in the Karnataka assembly. During the previous Belagavi session, Congress had locked horns with BJP over the anti-conversion bill and similar scenes might be witnessed this time too, reported TOI.
B K Hariprasad, leader of the opposition in the council said that they will urge the council chairman not to approve the private bill on halal. Besides this, the government is planning to bring 14 other bills, including ones envisaging enhancing the quantum of quota for SC/STs and seeking reservation for Kannadigas in the private sector.