Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference chairman and Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Friday urged authorities to make public all facts related to the ongoing “rotten meat scandal” in the Valley to address growing public concern and anxiety.
Delivering the Friday sermon at Jamia Masjid, the Mirwaiz expressed grave concern over the scandal, which has eroded public trust for more than two weeks. He said despite official assurances of a thorough probe, little is known about the follow-up — including the identities of those involved, the duration of the malpractice, or whether any arrests have been made.
Recently, authorities carried out raids across multiple locations in Kashmir, seizing and destroying large quantities of rotten and adulterated meat under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
“All this must be brought into the public domain to allay people’s fears,” the Mirwaiz said, adding that strict action must be taken against those responsible. “There should be no leniency towards anyone involved in such a heinous act that endangers people’s health and lives.”
He stressed the urgent need for Kashmir to have its own regulated slaughterhouses where hygiene, Islamic guidelines, and food safety standards are properly enforced. “Government and business communities must come forward to establish these facilities, as people cannot blindly trust supplies from outside without scrutiny,” he added.
The Mirwaiz also revealed that the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU), an amalgam of religious bodies, had formed a seven-member committee of jurists from different schools of thought to deliberate on the issue. The MMU’s existing Halal Certification Board would also be expanded and strengthened to ensure compliance with Islamic standards, he said.
“The MMU is ready to fully cooperate with the government to preserve the Islamic character of halal food and to safeguard both the health and trust of our people,” the Mirwaiz concluded.
