New Delhi (Staff Correspondent), November 12: In an unprecedented move, an internal document of Air India was found doing rounds on social media that mentioned that the pre-booked meal labelled with MOML (Moslem Meal) sticker is to be treated as a special meal. Halal certificate will be provided only for uplifted MOML meal, the document reads.
This led to speculations across country that the airline will now no more serve halal certified meals particularly for its Hindu and Sikh passengers. As a major development major media houses pushed the content of the viral circular in news and it made headlines across country on Monday evening.
WHAT IS HALAL
A Halal certification is a guarantee that the food is prepared adhering to the Islamic law and is unadulterated. In India, halal certification is given by many private companies which marks the food or products permissible for the followers of the Islam.
In India, the two major halal certifying organisations Halal India Pvt Ltd and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust. Last year the commerce ministry had mandated that all meat and its products will be exported with halal certification only if it is produced, processed and packed under a valid certificate issued by a certification body accredited by a board of the Quality Council of India.
REACTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Another part of the note reads, all meals on Saudi sectors will be halal and halal certificate will be provided on Jeddah, Dammam, Riyadh, Medina sectors, including Haj flights.
This led to massive uproar and debate following conjectures that it is the first time that some action has been taken by any airline against halal certified meals.
Some right wing Hindu groups on social media also termed this move of the Air India as a victory on their part for they had been raising this issue for years. They said that the change symbolizes a remarkable victory for those who have been advocating for this to Air India. Many celebrated the “announcement” and expressed their deep gratitude for the long-awaited change.
WHAT THE AIRLINE SAID
The Tata Group-owned airline however made no official comment regarding this development.
Air India, reacting to the development, told some of the media houses that they have always given meal options to passengers. Meal options, they said are still as per the IATA guidelines. Meal service have only been streamlined following the merger of Air India with Vistara, the airline maintained.
Previously, the airline had been categorising its meals religion wise, and had tagged them as Hindu meals and Muslim meals. The airline had, however, made it clear on its website that none of fits meals, even the non-vegetarian ones, include beef and pork.
This has also set another debate on whether there should be such distinction on food during a flight? While one side of the groups advocate for having such category given religious bent of majority of the Indian passengers, others said that limiting food options and choices on-board a flight is not a bad option. They held such actions responsible for the social and religious divide in the country.
Air India, however, needs to come forward and make it clear if the action has only been taken due to the amalgamation of Air India with Vistara to streamline the process and that whether all meals now required to be pre-booked or it is in a specially initiative that Hindus and Sikhs will strictly not be offered a halal certification meal on-board Air India.
