McDonald’s is facing boycott calls in India after the global fast-food chain said its restaurants’ serve halal meat. The controversy erupted after McDonald’s India tweeted that all its restaurants are halal certified.
“All our restaurants have HALAL certificates. You can ask the respective restaurant Managers to show you the certificate for your satisfaction and confirmation,” the fast-food company said in a reply to a user’s inquiry.
However, the reply angered many people on Twitter, who called for boycotting McDonald’s with the hashtag #BoycottMcDonalds trending in India. Many wondered why McDonald’s was serving halal meat in India where 80% of the population are Hindus.
All our restaurants have HALAL certificates. You can ask the respective restaurant Managers to show you the certificate for your satisfaction and confirmation. (2/2)
— McDonald's India (@mcdonaldsindia) August 22, 2019
Many Twitter users stamped McDonald’s insensitive for not using the “jhatka” method – another form of slaughter during which the animal’s head is severed in a single blow. Halal (meaning permissible in Arabia), on the contrary, is a slow method of butchering the animal (where all the blood is drained out first before the final slaughtering).
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Vishnu Gupta, national president of Hindu Sena said that McDonald’s was overlooking the feelings of Hindus. “McDonald’s can’t force halal meat upon a vast section of Hindus who eat jhatka,” he said. Gupta warned: “If Mcdonald’s doesn’t change its strategy, and start serving both halal and jhatka in its outlets across India, soon our men will protest against the food chain on streets.”
