Halal row: New guidelines for slaughterhouses on the cards in Karnataka?

Bengaluru: Amid the halal controversy raging in the state, the state government is reportedly making new guidelines for slaughterhouses.

The Karnataka government is all set to make guidelines for slaughterhouses to adopt the ‘stunning’ method to kill animals. Though the government is presently giving a diplomatic statement, the party is preparing for implementation, IANS reported by quoting sources.

This move is expected to create further furor in the state, which is already facing the heat due to the call for a ban on halal cut meat, the report said.

Minister for Animal Husbandry Prabhu Chouhan on Saturday said that he would look into the demand made by animal lovers who have written to the department that ‘stunning’ should be made compulsory in slaughterhouses.

‘Stunning’ is a process that ensures that the animal is made unconscious to pain before being killed in the slaughterhouse.

Prabhu Chouhan said he would take a call on making ‘stunning’ compulsory in slaughterhouses. “Stunning has not been made compulsory as of now and no order as such is being issued from the department. The letter says not to permit halal cuts, I will verify,” he said.

Sources in the BJP said that the party is mulling making the guideline mandatory as it would not allow halal and jhatka processes while slaughtering the animal illegally. If this happens, there would be a huge crisis-like situation in the state as anything against halal would not go down well with minorities, the IANS report said.

The central government has recommended a ‘stunning’ method under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act for slaughterhouses. Umapathy, Joint Director of the Animal Husbandry Department has stated that the department has received many complaints by animal activists in this regard. Despite the guideline, the slaughterhouses are not following rules, he said.

The case could be booked under IPC as well as the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act if slaughterhouses do not follow rules.

Even the public could also book a case in this regard. The shop owners will be fined for the first and for the second offense, they can be jailed. Presently, the fine amount is Rs 50. It is being appealed to increase it from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh. The present imprisonment period is 6 months to 3 years. It has also been demanded to increase the imprisonment period, he explained.

(With inputs from IANS)