Thread by @thehawkeyex

Is Halal food just another religious practice or a burden for traders & consumers of a majority of faiths?

Let's take a deep dive into the social & financial implications of 'imposed compliance' and the larger objective of Jamiat which governs this exercise.

Read on..
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Let’s start with the basics.

The Arabic word ‘halal’ means permitted/allowed and so the ‘halal food’ implied is permissible under Islamic Sharia laws. The opposite of halal is haram i.e. unlawful. Look at Pic of various methods of slaughtering cattle.
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If you are not comfortable with this part, skip next 2 tweets.

So, the Islamic form of slaughtering animals is killing the animal through a cut to the jugular vein, carotid artery & windpipe with a sharp blade which animal haven’t seen. Then let the animal hang upside down
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till all the blood is drained because consumption of the blood is haram. You may read the details (P1) & a list 'default haram (P2).

Ironically there are people who debate which method is 'better' wherein ultimately the animal dies a PAINFUL death.

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So to make it permissible for consumption as per Sharia belief, food is supposed to be halal comply. In India, a ‘non-profit’ org Jamat Ulama-I-Hind Halal issues certificates to restaurants, hotels, airlines, hospitals, and food processing units, recognized in many countries.
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Its not just for 20% of M in country but also business compulsion for exporting food to M countries. Globally this system works in synergy & compels (read force) an unwilling trader also to secure cert whatever it may cost, otherwise, it may “lose a potential customer”.
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If one thinks that religious practice must be a charitable one, the answer here is NO, it is not, at least in this case. Look at fee structure, followed by a case study. As per an estimation, a trader with 50 food products (meat/non-meat) has to shell out approx Rs1.5L/year
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to secure Halal cert. Therefore 250 traders in the country would have paid approx Rs 38Cr to Jamiat in past one decade. And from where a trader would recover it? Right, from the consumers only.

Jamiat, an NGO, doesn’t show financial st. or ‘earned’ through certs.
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Halal is not just for non-veg items but even veg food makers like Haldiram, Bikano & Amul are obtaining it so their M consumers buy/eat the product more confidently. Though, issuing certificate to Patanajli irked both the Hindu & Muslim communities for respective reasons.
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Its not that this ‘almost mandate’ Halal Certification was never challenged in court by other sections. In 2020 Akhand Bharat Morcha sought to ban 'halal' for the slaughter of animals but SC rejected the plea quoting it 'mischievous' on account of freedom of choice.
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To pacify the voices against "imposed" & monopoly of employment in entire segment, GoI recently did the symbolic act by dropping ‘halal’ word from the export menu only to replace it with “The animals are slaughtered to the requirement of importing country/importer.”
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The reader must know the volume of business here is worth $3.5bn as 4th largest exporter of beef in the world with a large client base in middle east nations & Vietnam.
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Back to Jamiat. It implied as an NGO Jamiat enjoys tax exemptions on the income. Also as an FCRA reg it receives funds from abroad, mostly from Jamiat UK. In the past 4 years, it has received Rs 6.7Cr foreign contribution.
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What’s Jamiat's core ideology & where these funds are being used? As per Jamiat website it is a result of aftermath of Khilafat movement 1919 which supposedly support countrymen for freedom led by Indian Muslims eventually initiated to pormote the Caliphate in Turkey.
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However, as per the vision/mission statement of Jamiat has NOTHING to do with nation-building but its aims “protection of Islamic belief”. Do NOT miss to read the marked text before scrolling down to understand the core ideology of the establishment.
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That’s what reflects in initiatives as well. e.g. Jamiat aims to “prepare” 12.5mn strong ‘momin’ by 2028 to guard the interest of Muslim 'Ummah'. Camps are mostly in the UP. One trainee cost 9.5K/yr. Project of ~12K Cr.

Spend 2 min time on Jamiat Youth Club objective.
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Jamiat’s other main objective is to provide aids to Imams, upliftment of 30K Madarasa in India, scholarship to community fellows, construction of mosque etc.

Spend 2 min time to read about the Jamiat Youth Club objective.
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Jamiat, a deobandi school of thought, has also reg. co. Jamait Education. In a recent 'secular' move Jamiat accepted non-M but misrably fall flat. Within few months, they appeled non-M to NOT to send their daughter to co-ed school in order to keep them away from immorality.
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Besides running a publication house (P3), Jamiat also provide legal & financial to the needy in the community. Jamiat also agreed to support accused of Kamlesh Tiwari murder because “they were poor”
Check news coveraeg and statement (P1,P2).

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Halal cert. is working for decades, though with a double standard. e.g.
Zomato says 'Food doesn't have religion' but stamps food at 'halal'.
A Jain baker was arrested for hiring Jain staff considered as 'communal'.
Reactions are coming for the IRCTC move with Sattvik Cert.
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Personal note-
Now, next time you buy halal-certified ice-cream, remember a part of it is possibly paying a Madarsa or sponsoring unrest.

The definition of secularism is not encroaching on others' space and one practice shouldn't be social & economic unjust for others.
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If that is the case, there is always a way!

Also, the movement & utilization of said Trust fundings also need an intense look by agencies.

If u like this thread pls support it by RT 1st tweet & tag ur fav handle to expand reach.

Thread will be published on my blog soon.

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More news & supporting activities of Jamiat shared by @SWABHIMANY in attached thread.