Profits no longer haram for CPM

KOZHIKODE: The CPM-controlled Brahmagiri Development Society (BDS) in Wayanad has gone 'halal' to capture the state's meat industry. Based at Manjadi near Sultan Bathery, BDS employs an all-Muslim team of six butchers for halal compliance.
Former MLA and CPM leader P Krishnaprasad is chairman of BDS and CPM councilor in Kalpetta municipality C K Sivaraman is its CEO.They claim that Malabar Meat--halal meat products marketed by the society --has become popular in Malabar region. Krishnaprasad is also national treasurer of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), farmers' wing of CPM.
Processes at the Rs 22 crore plant were confirmed halal-compliant by a group of Muslim mahal committee leaders who inspected the plant before Ramadan and the society won an order for supplying meat products to WMO Muttil orphanage.
"We have employed Muslims to slaughter animals by saying Bismillah in the Islamic tradition. The first slaughter at the plant was done by qazi of the Malavayal Juma Masjid. We have received tremendous response to our products," said Krishnaprasad.
CPM-controlled societies had earlier tried their hands in sectors such as tourism, healthcare, education but 'Malabar Meat' is their first foray into meat industry.
?Halal' in Arabic means 'permissible' and halal food and rules of slaughter are based on Islamic principles as defined in the Quran. For the meat to be halal, the animal has to be alive and healthy and a Muslim has to perform the slaughter by cutting the animal's throat by a sharp knife and severing jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe and blood must be drained out of the carcass.
BDS officials said they are flooded with requests for opening its outlets in around 200 centres in Kozhikode, Malappuram and Kannur districts and there are enquiries pouring in from even Gulf countries.
BDS processes beef, mutton, rabbit and poultry products which are marketed through dedicated outlets. Anu Scaria, project manager, said once the company attains full capacity of 45 tonnes, it will be able to cover 90% of the market demand in Malabar.