PIL in SC seeks ban on slaughtering of animals by way of 'halal' during COVID-19 pandemic

On Thursday, the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Vishwa Jain Sangathan sought a direction from the Supreme Court to restrain the Union of India and all States from allowing slaughtering of any animal by way of 'halal' during the coronavirus crisis.

The petition was filed by the Vishwa Jain Sangathan through its lawyer Ravi Prakash Gupta. The petitioner sought a direction of the SC to grant interim ex-parte stay on the circular of March 30, issued by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying for violating of Articles 14, 21 and 51-A (g) of the Constitution.

The petition stated that the 'halal' was made by allowing chickens and other animals to bleed till death including skinning of animals before death and slaughtering, trading, consumption chicken or fish without being certified.

The PIL was filed before the Apex Court in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic by the Vishwa Jain Sangathan, seeking appropriate directions in the matter.

The petitioner further said that due to violent eating habits of some people, who consume both domestic and wild animals for mere 'change of taste' despite the availability of sufficient agri-based food, jeopardizes the entire humanity created by nature after lakhs of years of the experiment through natural selection.

This atrocious and barbaric habit for 'change of taste' of some people directly hits at the very root of Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees full protection of 'right to life' coupled with the Directive Principles of State of Policy, stated Gupta in his PIL.

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