Bengaluru: Fueling the ongoing controversy over calls being given by some right-wing groups to boycott the consumption of 'Halal' meat, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary CT Ravi on Tuesday likened Halal food to "economic jehad". 


While speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Ravi said that Halal is an economic jehad.


BJP leader's controversial remarks came days after banning Muslim vendors around temples during the Hindu religious fairs in parts of Karnataka.


"It means that it is used like a Jehad so that Muslims should not do business with others. It has been imposed. When they think that Halal meat should be used, what is wrong in saying that it should not be used," news agency PTI quoted the BJP leader as saying.


Several Hindu groups have circulated a flurry of messages on social media urging Hindus to shun Halal meat, especially after Ugadi, which is the Hindu New Year festival.


"Halal meat offered to their God' is dear to them (Muslims) but for Hindus, it is somebody's leftover. He also said that Halal has been designed in a planned way so that the products should be purchased only from Muslims and not others," Ravi said.


When Muslims refuse to buy meat from Hindus, why should you insist on Hindus buying from them? What right do people have to even ask this? Ravi asked reporters.


Furthermore, reacting to the call of boycotting Halal meat, the BJP leader said such trade practices are not one-way traffic but two-way. "If Muslims agree to eat non-Halal meat, then these people (Hindus) will also use Halal meat," he added.


Meanwhile, former Karnataka Chief Minister JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy denounced such trends and asked Hindu youths not to 'spoil' the state, which he said is a "garden of racial peace and faith".


"I want to ask the government where you want to lead this State to. With folded hands I ask Hindu youths not to spoil the state," Kumaraswamy said.


Asserting a strong disagreement over the call to bpycott Halal meat and its products, 61 progressive thinkers from the State, including K Maralusiddappa, Prof S G Siddaramaiah, Bolwar Mahamad Kunhi and Dr Vijaya, have written to the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with an appeal to check religious hatred.


It is shameless work to deliberately instill religious hatred in this land where the epistle is sung as a garden of racial peace, they said in their letter.


(With inputs from PTI)