The latest victims of the march of the supermarkets are halal butchers. Before the advent of large American superstores selling everything under one roof, every British high street had at least one independent butcher patronised by locals for their daily dose of meat. With the advent of Muslims from South Asia, a halal butcher also become a must in the high streets of Asian dominated areas.
However once supermarket chains began to mushroom all over the country selling frozen meat at cheap prices, the English butcher was forced out of business. However the halal butcher survived as it catered to a niche market, often being the only source of fresh organic meat in an area. But with supermarket chains like Asda and Tesco running pilot programmes selling halal meat in stores in Asian areas, they have threatened this business too. The loss of the halal butcher will not only be another blow to the great British high street, but it will be also kill another small business run mostly by British Asians.
Who says Indian women have fewer rights than their counterparts in the West? Indian mothers can breast feed their baby in public without worrying that they are breaking the law. Not so in the UK. Here women who breast feed their little dears in public places like restaurants or bars can be charged under indecency legislation. But ministers are changing that with the new Equality Bill which will make it an offence to stop any woman from breastfeeding a baby up to the age of six months in public. Perhaps it was because of the old law that the Britain had the lowest breast feeding rate in Europe. But now they know ‘breast is best’!
Emmy award winner Amy Winehouse needs spiritual help to get over her drug addiction says her Indian origin guitarist. Robin Banerjee a.k.a. Burnin’ Bobby B, who had performed, toured and recorded with the jazz and soul singer until August 2007, says Winehouse is electrifying when she is on stage. But the woman with the huge beehive has had more inches of newsprint lately for her addiction to drugs then for her singing. “I don’t think deep down she is ready for a change yet,” said Banerjee. “I don’t believe will-power works in this situation. Something’s got to touch you, a higher force. She needs a spiritual intervention somewhere,” he added. Any takers?
