The outrage started after the fast-food company wrote to a user query: “Thank you for taking the time to contact McDonald's India. We truly appreciate this opportunity to respond to your comments. The meat that we use, across our restaurants, is of the highest quality and is sourced from government-approved suppliers who are HACCP certified. All our restaurants have HALAL certificates. You can ask the respective restaurant Managers to show you the certificate for your satisfaction and confirmation.”
On Friday, McDonald’s became the latest company to earn the ire of Twitterati after it said it only used Halal meat.
The outrage started after the fast-food company wrote to a user query: “Thank you for taking the time to contact McDonald's India. We truly appreciate this opportunity to respond to your comments. The meat that we use, across our restaurants, is of the highest quality and is sourced from government-approved suppliers who are HACCP certified. All our restaurants have HALAL certificates. You can ask the respective restaurant Managers to show you the certificate for your satisfaction and confirmation.”
The questions over halal meat has been brewing ever since Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal had tweet that ‘food has no religion’ recently, which earned the ire of many Twitter users.
The outrage started over a customer complaining about a ‘non-Hindu delivery boy’ continued with lots of Twitter users showing solidarity with the user’s right to freedom of religion and started uninstalling Zomato in protest.
Thank you for taking the time to contact McDonald's India. We truly appreciate this opportunity to respond to your comments.
— McDonald's India (@mcdonaldsindia) August 22, 2019
The meat that we use, across our restaurants, is of the highest quality and is sourced from government-approved suppliers who are HACCP certified. (1/2)
All our restaurants have HALAL certificates. You can ask the respective restaurant Managers to show you the certificate for your satisfaction and confirmation. (2/2)
— McDonald's India (@mcdonaldsindia) August 22, 2019
#BoycottMcDonalds https://t.co/b1kaUTwHTA
— Anamika- Don't @ me- See pinned tweet. (@NameFieldmt) August 23, 2019
Hullo @mcdonaldsindia what about customers who do not eat Halal meat for religious reasons? What should they ask your restaurant managers to show for their satisfaction and confirmation?
— Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) August 23, 2019
People, force McDonalds to answer this question. Don't let them get away with discrimination. https://t.co/w5XB2bCuhA
#BoycottMcDonalds https://t.co/b1kaUTwHTA
— Anamika- Don't @ me- See pinned tweet. (@NameFieldmt) August 23, 2019
Time to meat-eating Hindus & Sikhs to #boycottmcdonalds and demand cruelty-free meat without the karmic consequences of animal torture. https://t.co/KcjUD6fDX5
— Sankrant Sanu सानु (@sankrant) August 23, 2019
All restaurants of @mcdonaldsindia are Halal certified. Only Muslims can eat food in your restaurants. What about Hindus who want ONLY Jhatka meat? Halal way of slaughtering is extremely cruel!
— Sandeep Kumar Shivhare (@SKS_Shivhare) August 23, 2019
If Jhatka meat is not given, I will #BoycottMcDonalds. Request others to do the same. https://t.co/DMt26M3kk0
Ok, say bye to all your Hindu and Sikh customers. Halal is most cruel way if hurting and killing an animal. No Hindu or Sikh will approve that cruelty towards animals. #BoycottMcDonalds #SayNoToHalal https://t.co/bFxmoAFBcW
— Truth Speaks (@TPrasadSpeaks) August 23, 2019
I would like McDonalds consider Sikh sentiment too. It was easier to fight during British Raj then now.
— zaphod beeblebrox (@zaphodb40371554) August 23, 2019
#boycottmcdonalds pic.twitter.com/78EIT02MPr
1. Zomato outrage
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The questions over halal meat has been brewing ever since Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal had tweet that ‘food has no religion’ recently, which earned the ire of many Twitter users.
The outrage started over a customer complaining about a ‘non-Hindu delivery boy’ continued with lots of Twitter users showing solidarity with the user’s right to freedom of religion and started uninstalling Zomato in protest.
The Madhya Pradesh police decided to send a notice to the Twitter user from Jabalpur who took offence to being assigned a ‘non-Hindu delivery boy by Zomato’.
Amit Singh, SP of police in Jabalpur told a leading daily: “We are going to send a notice to the man to explain his conduct. If it is true, it amounts to hurting religious sentiments of people. This is a crime.”
While no one has filed a complaint, the MP Police have filed a suo moto notice of the Twitter post.
2. User demands 'Hindu' delivery boy
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The user had asked: “Do my freedom of expression and religion not fall under the idea of India?"
"At present, the pious month of Shravan is going on and it is a matter of my personal choice," Shukla said, justifying his stand.
Reactions poured in after the initial tweet.
3. Reactions to Zomato's tweet
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BJP’s Baijayant Panda had written: “#Zomato is right to deny a customer's request for a delivery person of a diffrt religion. But wrong (& hypocritical) to claim it dsn't mix religion with food. It fusses over religious clients' halal/Jain food. Curious if it does for all, eg a religious Sikh wanting non halal meat.”
P Chidamabaram, who wasn’t embroiled with the CBI at that point had written: “I have not ordered food so far, but I think I will do so now from Zomato.”
Former J&K CM Omar Abdullah, who had internet access at that time, had written: “"Respect. I love your app. Thank you for giving me a reason to admire the company behind it.”
Former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi tweeted: "Salute Deepinder Goyal! You are the real face of India! Proud of you."
