A meat shop in Bihar’s Begusarai has been named after Union minister Giriraj Singh following the firebrand BJP leader’s request to Hindus to consume only ‘jhatka’, the flesh of animals slaughtered by a single blow of the blade. Giriraj Singh met the shop owner and encouraged people in his parliamentary constituency to open more Jhatka meat shops.

“More Jhatka meat shops will be opened and expanded in the future, and I will personally promote their shop,” the Bengusarai MP said.

In a video shared on his X account, the union minister for rural development was seen interacting with locals and highlighting the significance of sacrificing animals in Hindu tradition.

“You protect your religion, others will protect their religion. In our religion, jhatka is (mandated), so we will eat jhatka. We won’t stop others (from eating Halal),” Giriraj Singh says.

Singh also commended the shop owner who has named his shop ‘Giriraj Amar Jhatka Meat’.

In December last year, Giriraj Singh made his supporters in his Begusarai take the pledge that they will henceforth not spoil their ‘dharma’ by eating halal meat.

Talking to reporters, he said, “I admire the Muslims who make it a point to consume only halal meat. Now Hindus should demonstrate a similar commitment to their own religious traditions.”

“The Hindu way of slaughter is jhatka. Whenever Hindus perform ‘bali’ (animal sacrifice), they do so in a single stroke. As such, they must not corrupt themselves by eating halal meat. They must always stick to jhatka,” said Singh.

He had also stressed the need for a new business model in which there would be abattoirs and shops selling only jhatka meat.