A viral video which showed how a Muslim cleric spitting on food
prepared for guests at an event as part of a religious ritual has
triggered a major controversy in Kerala. Non-Muslims are boycotting
halal eateries in Kerala fearing the food being served is contaminated
by spitting. The disgusting video had gone viral.
The video has also triggered a massive debate and outrage over halal.
There has been a concerted effort by Islamist organisations to impose
halal certification in non-Muslim owned restaurants and eateries. The
video has upset their plans, as people fear that to make food halal
Muslims would spit on their food items.
Clubhouses are the latest arena where this topic is hotly debated.
Christian groups have started a campaign asking people to avoid
‘halal’ certified restaurants and eateries.
Meanwhile several Islamists have defended the act of the cleric,
saying that it is a practice of Muslims to spit on food to purify it.
A Facebook post by an Islamist said: “It is our ritual. We didn’t push
food down the throat of anyone. If you don’t want, don’t eat,” it
said.
Meanwhile, Sebastian Punnakkal, a Christian preacher, said halal
movement is an economic jihad to destroy the business and livelihood
of non-Muslims. “This one video of Ustad spitting on food has served
our purpose. We have been telling non-Muslims that halal campaign is
being carried out to destroy their financial security. But some people
were not convinced. This video has reduced our burden,” he added.
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