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Railway Halal Meat: National Human Rights Commission issued notice to Indian Railways on serving only Halal meat in trains. The Commission asked the Railways to submit a report within two weeks on the complaint of Sunil Ahirwar. The complainant has alleged that “Indian Railways serves only Halal-processed meat in non-vegetarian meals, thereby creating unfair discrimination and violating human rights”.
New Delhi. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Railways on a complaint that only ‘Halal processed meat’ is served in trains, which constitutes unfair discrimination and is a ‘violation of human rights’. The complaint further alleges that this practice in Indian Railways trains excludes people from Hindu Dalit communities who traditionally work in the meat trade and hence their right to livelihood and equal opportunities are harmed.
There was no immediate response from the railway authorities. NHRC, in proceedings related to the case on November 24, said that the allegations made in the complaint prima facie appear to be a violation of human rights. The NHRC said the practice of selling only halal meat ‘severely impacts’ the livelihood of Hindu Scheduled Caste communities and other non-Muslim communities, hence the Railways, being a government agency, must respect the right to choose food of people of all religious faiths “in accordance with the secular spirit of the Constitution of India”.
A bench headed by NHRC member Priyank Kanungo has taken cognizance of the complaint of Sunil Ahirwar of Bhopal under Section 12 of the Human Rights Protection Act, 1993. “The Registry is directed to issue notice to the Chairman, Railway Board, New Delhi, directing him to investigate the allegations made in the complaint and submit an action taken report within two weeks for the perusal of the Commission,” the bench said. According to the case proceedings, the complainant has alleged that “Indian Railways serves only Halal-processed meat in non-vegetarian meals, thereby giving rise to unfair discrimination and violating human rights”.
