Any consumer has complete freedom to choose any product. But the picture in India is an exception. While in India, people as consumers have the right to choose the product on paper only. In reality, halal products are forced on the consumer, pushing them to depend on the halal ecosystem.
Various individuals have already raised their voices against the imposition of halal products in India. In continuation of that, Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, a former journalist for Deutsche Welle and former employee of the United Nations, raised his voice against halal products. Recently, through Facebook Live, he exposed the market’s dependence on this halal ecosystem.
On October 10, Supriyo Bandyopadhyay went to eat at a restaurant in Kolkata. Meanwhile, an employee of the restaurant told him that the meat in their restaurant is completely halal. He also said that they only serve halal meat. In response, Mr Supriyo requested them to give him Jhatka meat. But the restaurant authorities said that they don’t have Jhatka meat. Supriyo Bandyopadhyay asked them, “Halal products are for the Muslim community. Why should I eat halal?”
The restaurant authorities could not give any answer. This live video went viral in no time. Ordinary Hindu consumers continued to express their anger against this halal imposition. At the same time, radical Islamists in the comment section continued to express hatred and various dirty comments.
Also, through WhatsApp calls, the radical Islamists are threatening to kill him from different places. Apart from this, radical Islamists are also sending messages on WhatsApp attacking him in dirty language. Supriyo Bandyopadhyay is currently living in insecurity.
This case of Supriyo Bandyopadhyay shows that the freedom of Hindus as consumers in India is under threat. Taking advantage of consumers’ naivety and forcing them to depend on the halal ecosystem is an ominous sign for India’s future.
