The Saharanpur MP also attacks BJP leadership over India-Pakistan cricket clash, denouncing government for prioritising profit over citizens’ emotions and national harmony
NEW DELHI – Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh has become the “brand ambassador of meat,” Congress lawmaker from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Imran Masood, has said.
“In a religion where meat eating is forbidden, if a Sanatani is distributing meat, then what answer should be given to such an ignorant person? He has no knowledge of Sanatan Dharma,” Masood stated.
The Congress MP’s remarks came in response to a recent statement from Singh urging Hindus to avoid halal meat and instead consume jhatka meat to protect Sanatana Dharma.
Singh’s comments on meat came as he visited a meat shop, Jhatkaz, in Madhubani district of Bihar on Saturday (August 30). Video clips of his comments have been widely shared on social media. Halal and jhatka are methods of animal slaughter. The minister said jhatka was considered less painful.
The Congress MP also targeted the minister over his recent remarks about Muslims and government schemes. Singh had claimed that Muslims benefit from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives but do not vote, a statement Masood described as deeply ignorant. “Ignorance is such a thing that a person who does not have knowledge keeps on saying anything. Giriraj Singh has mastered ignorance. The government belongs to the country, not to any person. Every citizen has the right to take advantage of government schemes,” Masood said.
He further criticised Singh’s comments about fatwas, emphasising the minister’s lack of understanding. “Fatwa is issued only in religious matters. Mufti issues fatwa only when there is disturbance in religious activities. Giriraj Singh has no knowledge of fatwas,” he said.
Meanwhile, political tensions have surged ahead of Sunday’s India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match in Dubai, with Masood sharply criticising the central government and Union Minister Singh. The controversy has sparked a debate across the country, exposing divisions over sports, business, and communal sensitivity.
“The sindoor (vermilion) of our sisters has not been washed off yet, their tears have not even dried (after the Pahalgam terror attack) and you are playing a match. Where cultural relations were ended, TV serials were stopped, but the business of cricket continues,” he said.
Masood accused the government of turning sport into a matter of profit and business, rather than a platform for national unity. “Business will continue everywhere. The aim of this government is that its friends get benefited. It seems as if the armies of both the countries are fighting, not the teams of India and Pakistan. Huge amounts of money are being earned from this excitement, because there is a lot of profit from broadcasting,” he added.
As the Asia Cup match approaches, political leaders and citizens alike remain deeply divided, with Masood’s vocal criticism reflecting a growing sentiment that communal bias and business interests are increasingly influencing national decisions.
