There may once again be a ruckus in Karnataka regarding the ban on Halal meat. There is a possibility of a tussle between the ruling BJP government and the opposition Congress over the issue. A bill to ban halal meat is being brought during the ongoing session of the state assembly in Belagavi. 

BJP member in the Karnataka Legislative Council N. Ravikumar is taking the initiative to bring this bill. He says that certification of food items should not be done by any body other than FSSAI. Sale of Halal meat without FSSAI certificate should be banned. 

The issue had also created unrest in March this year when Hindutva called for boycott of halal meat in the state during Ugadi festival. A section of BJP wants to give legal recognition to it by passing a bill. Ravikumar plans to introduce it as a private member's bill and has written to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot about it. However, now they want to present it as a government bill. 

If the BJP government in Karnataka brings a government bill to ban halal meat, it could heat up the political atmosphere in the poll-bound state. BJP MLC N Ravikumar said that now the party leadership is in favor of enacting a law to ban Halal meat. The Congress had strongly opposed the BJP government during the last session over the anti-conversion bill. Now this time the proposed Halal Meat Bill can become a cause of controversy. 

Congress says that we understand the strategy of BJP. It wants to divert public attention from issues like its failure, corruption and voter data theft, hence polarizing voters on communal lines before assembly elections by bringing anti-halal meat bill.