Restaurants and shops must specify whether the meat being sold is ‘halal’ or ‘jhatka’, says SDMC standing committee

Representative image. AFP

New Delhi: The standing committee of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, led by the BJP, approved a proposal that asks restaurants or shops to “compulsorily” show whether the meat being sold or served is cut using the “halal” method or “jhatka”. officials said Friday.

The proposal now awaits approval at the SDMC House, which is controlled by the saffron party.

The ” Jhatka ” method is one in which an animal is slaughtered all at once, while in the ” halal ” method, an animal is allowed to die after cutting a vein.

“There are thousands of restaurants in 104 districts of four zones that belong to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation. Of these, meat is served in about 90 percent of restaurants, but it is not mentioned whether the meat that is served in restaurants is ” halal ”. ‘or’ ‘jhatka’ ”, said the resolution passed by the SDMC panel on Thursday.

Similarly, butchers don’t make the distinction either, he said.

The resolution further reads: “According to Hinduism and Sikhism, eating ‘halal’ meat is prohibited and against religion …

“Therefore, the committee resolves that restaurants and butchers be given this order to write compulsorily about the meat they sell and serve … that ‘halal’ or ‘jhatka’ meat is available here.”

Standing committee chair Rajdutt Gahlot said on Friday that the proposal, once approved by the House, will mean that restaurants and butchers will have to “clearly and visibly show” whether they are serving “halal or jhatka” cut meat. .

“Currently, while they get the license, the owners get a license to sell one type of meat and then they start selling the other as well.”

In addition, the idea is to inform the consumer about the type of meat that is served and make an informed decision, Gahlot said.

The resolution was proposed by Chhattarpur Councilor Anita Tanwar.

Joy Singh, a partner in the Yeti restaurant chain and co-founder of the Raasta restaurant in South Delhi, said this is a very “sad and regressive” approach.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not in favor. It’s everyone’s prerogative as to what they want to eat and what they don’t want to eat,” he said.

In 2017, the SDMC had proposed that meat and its products not be displayed outdoors, saying that hygiene and “the feelings of people affected by the sight” of the meat were the main reasons behind the measure.

The measure was not implemented after protests from store owners.