NHRC notice to Railway Board over ‘halal meat’ on trains

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken a suo motu cognisance of a complaint and issued a notice to the chairman of the Railway Board over allegations that the Indian Railways serves only ‘halal meat’ in its non-vegetarian meals.

According to the commission, the complainant alleged that Hindu and Sikh passengers do not get food options that match their religious beliefs, affecting their freedom of choice and religious rights which violates their rights to equality, non-discrimination, freedom of profession, right to life with dignity and religious freedom under Articles 14, 15. 19(1)(g), 21 and 25 of the Constitution.

“This is also contrary to the principles laid down in cases of Olga Tellis (1985), Indian Young Lawyers Association (2018), State of Karnataka v Appa Balu Ingale (1995) and NHRC v State of Gujarat (2009),” the complainant stated, adding that such a policy in a government-run system appears to violate the principles of equality, secularism, non-discrimination and the right to livelihood.

The complainant also told the NHRC that passengers who do not consume halal meat for religious reasons were left without suitable food options.

In its notice, the NHRC said the allegations “prima facie seem to be violations of the human rights of the people,” and that selling only halal meat may affect the livelihood of Hindu SC communities and other non-Muslim groups.

It added that a government agency “should respect the rights to choice of food of the people belonging to all religious faiths.”

The commission has asked the Railway Board to look into the allegations and submit an action taken report within two weeks. A copy of the complaint has also been forwarded to the Board for review.