Jhatka Council UK Have Raised Wider Issues Which Concern All Sikhs

The issue is theo-political and concerns all Sikhs. Guru Nanak Sahib referred to the Islamic way of life forced on non-Muslims in Asa ki Vaar when He referred to: ਅਭਾਖਿਆ ਕਾ ਕੁਠਾ ਬਕਰਾ ਖਾਣਾ ॥ That means that they, the Hindu minions of the Mughal court, eat the meat of ritually killed goats []]or other animals] in the Islamic way (SGGS Ang 472).

Despite the name which can confuse, Jhatka Council UK (Panjab Times Issue 3107 last week, p 35) have raised an important issue of Sikhi principle which reminds us of the above Shabad of Guru Nanak Sahib and much more. The Gurbani language is direct and powerful for those who hide or surrender their identity, language and way of life due any compulsion.

The context of Sikh rejection of kuttha meat needs to be understood from at least three angles: rebellion against political pressure to eat it to please Muslim rulers, the ritualism []]and animal welfare] and religious hypocrisy. Guru Nanak Sahib, in the Shabad starting, ਗਊ ਬਿਰਾਹਮਣ ਕਉ ਕਰੁ ਲਾਵਹੁ alludes to the surrender of own way of life.

Guru Gobind Singh ji made the eating of kuttha a bajjar kureht (serious breach of Sikh conduct). The Muslims insist on their own religious ritual and Sikh ideology rejects the enforcing of own ritualism or religious brand on others.

S Gurinder Singh Josan MP for Smethwick, himself a vegetarian practising Sikh, seems to have realized the much wider implications and, for that reason, hosted the Jhatka Council event in the Parliament on 15 September, 2025. Currently, it is not a legal requirement to label halal meat. That confuses and misleads and even deceives the Muslims themselves, the Sikhs and animal welfare groups. Halal meat is sold in shops and restaurants without clear labelling.

If Sikh children are being fed halal meat without their knowledge, then that becomes a national issue for all Sikhs and not just for Sikhs who do eat meat. However, the Jhatka Council UK need to further clarify true Sikh tradition based objections and not give the impression of reacting to Islamic demands.

I have been contacted by the Jhatka Council and also read their online links. In Sikh Reht Maryada (Code of Sikh Conduct), the word jhatka is not mentioned. The exact quotation from the Sikh Reht Maryad in Panjabi is: ਕੁੱਠਾ ਖਾਣਾ ਕੁਰਹਿਤ ਹੈ। ਕੁੱਠਾ ਤੋਂ ਭਾਵ ਉਹ ਮਾਸ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨੀ ਤਰੀਕੇ ਨਾਲ ਤਿਆਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੋਵੇ।

Traditionally, Sikhs who do eat meat, prefer jhatka meat by which method the animal is killed with one stroke of the sword or other blade. That means that the animal must be killed in the most humane way, with minimum pain. The universal method of stunning an animal to make it unconscious and insensible to pain, satisfies animal welfare groups. That would be acceptable to the Sikhs also.

Mostly, animals are stunned before being killed. Animals killed according to Islamic ritual, to be sold as Halal meat, are not stunned before slaughter. Those who eat meat including school children, do not know if they are being served ritually killed halal meat. However, as discussed above, the issue is much wider than jhatka. Jhatka Council needs to give further thought while seeking wider Sikh and non-Sikh support. Animal welfare groups can be approached.

The legal situation regarding clear labelling of halal meat and products needs urgent correction through the Parliament. It is encouraging that Sikh MPs are taking an interest.

Gurmukh Singh OBE

E-mail: sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurmukh_Singh_OBE