Camel Steak
A notification of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been sent to all food safety commissioners, which states that camels cannot be slaughtered for meat. The FSSAI Regulations, 2011 do not define camel meat as food. Animals that come into the definition of Meat and Meat products are Ovines (sheep), Bovines (ox and cow including buffalo), Caprines (goats or goat-antelopes) and Suillines (pig family) besides poultry and fish. There is no mention of camels either as meat or as meat food product.
Based on this notification, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has written to all state governments to ensure that camels are not slaughtered on the occasion of Bakrid. They state that under sub heading 2.5 of the FSSAI regulations, that deal with Meat and Meat products, camels are not mentioned anywhere. The Nature Conservation Society, which is an environmental group, say that camel slaughter is a recent trend but has now become popular.
The practice of slaughtering camels on the night before Bakrid is prevalent in some cities in Tamil Nadu. Camels are bought for a hefty sum of Rs.1.50, 000 from Kankrauli, Udaipur or Raj Nagar in Rajasthan. They are not taken to slaughter houses but are sacrificed after reciting prayers at wedding halls or other areas specially hired for this festive occasion. The AWBI letter also states that all animals must be slaughtered only in slaughter houses as per regulations.
The Imam of the Al Ameen Colony mosque, Abu Bakr, is also of the opinion that goats or cows should be sacrificed. Slaughtering a camel is something that is being imitated from Saudi Arabia, where camels are free to be slaughtered. He along with some other Imams are of the view that, as camel sacrifices are not specific to Islam but cows and goats serve the purpose equally. The Imam is of the opinion that camel slaughter is only being carried out to impress as it has no religious connotations.
The Tamil Nadu Director General of Police has denied receiving such a letter and says he is not aware if it has been sent to the commissioner. The state authorities are being cautious in preventing camel slaughter as they would not like to hurt religious sentiments.
மருதம்பட்டையை, வெதுவெதுப்பான தண்ணீரில் இரவு முழுவதும் ஊறவைத்திருந்து, காலையில் அருந்தினால், இதயம் பலப்படும். ரத்தம் உறையாமைப் பிரச்னையைத் தடுக்கும் நல்ல மருந்து இது.
முறையான கொதிக்கவைத்தல்’ பற்றிச் சரியான புரிதலோ வழிகாட்டுதலோ இல்லை. தண்ணீரை அடுப்பில் வைத்து, லேசாகச் சூடு வந்ததுமே அடுப்பை அணைத்துவிடுகின்றனர். நீரை நன்றாகக் கொதிக்கவைத்து, குமிழ்கள் வரும்போது, அந்தக் கொதிநிலையிலேயே 10 நிமிடங்கள்் இருக்கவேண்டும். இந்த நீரை ஆறவைத்து, வடிகட்டி அன்றே குடித்துவிட வேண்டும். முதல் நாள் காய்ச்சிய நீரை மறுநாள் பருகுவதால், எந்த நன்மையும் இல்லை. மேலும், பானையில் வைத்திருக்கும் நீராக இருந்து, ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் கையை விட்டு்த் தண்ணீரை எடுக்கும்போது, நம் கை மூலம் சில கிருமிகளை உள்ளேவிடுகிறோம். எனவே, தண்ணீரை முகந்து குடிக்காமல், ஊற்றிக் குடிப்பதுதான் நல்லது' என்கிறார் டாக்டர் எழிலன்.
