RE: Hindu Council - Contact Us
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Vijai Singhal
May 5, 2013, 1:24:58 AM5/5/13
to Leah Brier, mahavi...@aapt.net.au, u2...@hotmail.com, Nihal Agar, Sanjeev Bhakri, bob....@randtronics.com, hinduco...@googlegroups.com
Dear All,
I am sorry to say that nobody seems to have read my previous email on this issue. We, the Hindu Council with the support of ARRCC, a multi faith organisation has been running this "Meat-Free Day"/ Eat-Less-Meat campaign since 2nd Oct 2008. We were the first one in Australia to promote this campaign. It is running quite successfully to the extend that now the Prime Minister of the Australia has accepted the challange to go meat-free for two weeks. We have to be proud of this achievement.
Now the issue of Halal vs non-Halal is a complex issue and Leah is right. We don't want to create religious tensions here as well between Hindus and Muslims. There is hardly any difference between the practice of Halal and Kosher meat promoted by Jews. They also cut the throat and let the animal bleed before cutting off the head. So if we oppose Halal meat we need to oppose Kosher meat also. And as Mahavir ji said the one hit cut of animal's head, what is called "Jhatka" type slaughter what Sikhs want is also not painless. Animals do feel pain in all respects. Ofcourse, the stunning of the animal before slaughter may reduce that pain but we have seen how the people have felt the pain of stunning when used on them by police.So animals also be feeling the pain of stunning as well. Hence the best thing is to avoid eating meat and become a vegetarian but it is a fact of life that all people will not become vegetarians, even Hindus try however hard we may. So best thing to reduce the amount of cruelty to animals is by reducing the amount of meat we eat. Some become vegetarians, which is very good. As did Justice Michael Kirby, who has become a vegetarian after reading about the cruelty to animals.
Hence, our campaign to "Eat-Less-Meat" or "Meat-Free-Day" once a week needs wider support even amongst the Hindu and Indian community. I am going to India to meet with Dr Pankaj Jain of USA and Dr Vanadana Shiva to launch the EcoDharma project in India and I intend to talk to them about our "Meat-Free-Day" campaign for support in India as well as I said previously the meat consumption in India is increasing rapidly, very unfortunately so. It is considered modern and fashioable to do so and to drink alcohol as the advanced Westerners do. We have to be advanced like them as well. Now we have got the money to do that. That is the motivating force behing that.
Please consider before acting. On individual basis you may do whatever you like but when you take a stand on behalf of the Hindu Council, we have to be careful about it.
Kind regards,
Vijai Singhal
From: le...@mail2world.com
To: mahavi...@aapt.net.au
CC: vijai_...@hotmail.com; u2...@hotmail.com; nihal...@gmail.com; sanb...@gmail.com; bob....@randtronics.com
Subject: RE: Hindu Council - Contact Us
Date: Sat, 4 May 2013 15:13:34 -0700
It is very sad to read this description and I no doubt believe it is true and a great injustice to innocent animals...
I think that Mahavirs words 'To resolve food shortage in the world is to promote vegetarian eating habits rather than meat." are very important and a positive educative approach should be the approach in any of our support/ promotion in this area....
Vijai ji has been involved in this aspect for some time , and would be able to guide us if we wanted to further support the idea of promoting vegetarianism for environmental, health and animal rights issues.
I believe it would be much better to support this cause rather than a radical opposition to Islam and halal products...
I am also recently involved in a movement called Transition Towns (Transition Parramatta) that focusses on the environment and local communities including food security - transport v's growing food locally, sustainable non violent food options and community gardens etc... its has some great principles and could be good to learn about to have a more enviro friendly approach in HCA. If we could lead the way on some of these environmental issues I think we would be setting a great example for the community, and benefiting our Mata Bhumi as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transition_Towns
Best wishes, Leah
<-----Original Message----->
>From: Mahavir Arya [mahavi...@aapt.net.au]
>Sent: 5/4/2013 11:06:27 PM
>To: vijai_...@hotmail.com;le...@mail2world.com
>Cc:
>u2...@hotmail.com;nihal...@gmail.com;sanb...@gmail.com;bob.adhar@randtronics.c
>om
>Subject: RE: Hindu Council - Contact Us
>
>Dear Friends
>
>My opinion is that HCA should be vigour’s in promoting vegetarian eating options.
>
>In producing halal meat animal is slaughtered, other than religious believes,
>while spinal cord is left intact with main arteries in the neck cut, and the heart
>keeps beating to pump out almost all the blood from the body. Blood is not only
>prohibited in Islam but also carries all the viruses and bacteria including
>toxins. As evident blood transfusion is one of the cause of transferring diseases
>from one person to another and this makes halal meat is more hygienic. Some
>claims, halal meat tastes better, is tenderer, is healthier and stays fresh longer
>because the absence of blood makes it resistant to bacteria. Few are of the
>opinion that it is only the way animal is slaughtered and you would not be able to
>differentiate the two on your plate if they were both cooked the same way.
>
>In non-halal meat animal’s neck is severed completely but animal is still not
>dead. I have heard that the animal is sometime skinned even before the animal is
>fully dead which is also inhumane.
>
>I am of the opinion that people eat meat because of habit and have germinated
>because of harsh and inhabitable living conditions. To resolve food shortage in
>the world is to promote vegetarian eating habits rather than meat. People can eat
>fish as fish do not suffer the way roaming animals suffer.
>
>It is my suggestion that HCA should distance itself from any activity promoting
>meat consumption in any form.
>
>Regards
>Mahavir
>
>From: Vijai Singhal [mailto:vijai_...@hotmail.com]
>Sent: Saturday, 4 May 2013 9:47 PM
>To: Leah Briers
>Cc: JOHN RAM; nihal...@gmail.com; sanb...@gmail.com; mahavi...@aapt.net.au;
>bob....@randtronics.com
>Subject: Re: Hindu Council - Contact Us
>
>Dear friends,
>This issue of protesting about halal meat has been pursued by the Sikh Council
>President and Sanjeev has been in correspondence with him. Cruelty to animals by
>the meat industry, both the halal and kosher slaughter and whole industrialised
>farming has been a big issue.
>
>We at the Hindu Council started the campaign of Meat-free day with the support of
>Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, a multi faith organisation on 2
>Oct 2008 to reduce the consumption of meat.
>
>It is my privilege to inform you all that this movement has been growing quite
>well. Just last month the Prime Minister Julia Gillard accepted the challenge to
>go meat-free for two weeks when she went to visit the Aberfoyle Park High School
>in SA. Year 12 girl, also named Leah and her friends challenged her to go meat-
>free for environmental and animal cruelty reasons. Please read the news item at
>www.facebook.com/ARRCC
>
>While the meat consumption per person, especially of red-meat has gone done in
>Australia, meat consumption in China and unfortunately in India is going up. This
>is something we should not be proud of and we need to tell our Indian and
>specially Hindu friends that meat eating is not good for their health, not good
>for the environment and not good for the animals. You can read about it on the
>ARRCC website www.arrcc.org.au/eat-less-meat.
>
>Regards,
>
>Vijai Singhal
>
>Sent from my iPad
>
>On 04/05/2013, at 7:57 PM, "Leah Briers" <le...@mail2world.com> wrote:
>Hi all, Thanks for your perspectives, though mine differ a little...... Somehow I
>think this person has sent out many requests of this sort to random orgs, and I
>wonder if we really need to support it. I believe HCA should steer clear of
>advocating for any meat related issues , unless they are directly linked with
>animal cruelty free advocacy or promotion of vegetarianism.
>
>This woman's issue seems to be about prices and I was unable to open the Facebook
>page to find out more info... I think we have many other important issues to
>promote and if HCA is thinking about supporting this cause I think you better do
>some further research into deeper reasons and purpose for this issue and exactly
>what they/ she represent. I also think that it anti Muslim sentiment could also
>play a factor in campaigns like this.... Which is something we need to be very
>careful of...
>
>Just my thoughts... Best regards, Leah
>
>
>
>
>
>On 04/05/2013, at 1:41 PM, "JOHN RAM" <u2...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Namaskar All,
>As the Hindu Council we may advocate vegetarianism. Indeed, it is widely perceived
>that Hinduism and vegetarianism go hand in hand. However, I acknowledge that we
>are not being prescriptive regarding an individual's dietary preference. The halal
>method of killing an animal throws up moralistic challenges. There was a series of
>programmes shown on BBC Knowledge regarding the humane manner in which animals are
>killed in abattoirs (animals are stunned, then throat slit, etc). The halal method
>is viewed as being extremely cruel. So, personally, if an animal has to be killed,
>I would rather it be done humanely.
>
>Question is, due we lend our support as an organisation or individually?
>
>Kind regards,
>
>Neeraj
>
>
>
>From: nihal...@gmail.com
>Date: Sat, 4 May 2013 08:26:58 +1000
>Subject: Fwd: Hindu Council - Contact Us
>To: vijai_...@hotmail.com; le...@mail2world.com; sanb...@gmail.com;
>mahavi...@aapt.net.au; bob....@randtronics.com; u2...@hotmail.com
>FYI
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>From: <trish....@optusnet.com.au>
>Date: 3 May 2013 21:14
>Subject: Hindu Council - Contact Us
>To: cont...@hinducouncil.com.au
>
>
>
>
>Hindu Council - Contact Us
>
>Name: Patrica Norman
>
>Address: 11 Lockett Crt
>
>Phone Number: 61352751538
>
>Email: trish....@optusnet.com.au
>
>Comment: We are protesting and acting to make the government stop the halal trade
>domestically. People who need halal can have it, but we should not be paying the
>costs associated with halal. The cost of meat and poultry has gone up
>substantially and we need to change that. People who have a reason not to eat
>halal should not be eating food that we do not want to eat. I will provide a link
>to our page online and hope you can join us in protesting this outrage.
>https://www.facebook.com/groups/BoycottHalalNow/517029451692174/?
>notif_t=group_activity Regards Trish
>
>
I am sorry to say that nobody seems to have read my previous email on this issue. We, the Hindu Council with the support of ARRCC, a multi faith organisation has been running this "Meat-Free Day"/ Eat-Less-Meat campaign since 2nd Oct 2008. We were the first one in Australia to promote this campaign. It is running quite successfully to the extend that now the Prime Minister of the Australia has accepted the challange to go meat-free for two weeks. We have to be proud of this achievement.
Now the issue of Halal vs non-Halal is a complex issue and Leah is right. We don't want to create religious tensions here as well between Hindus and Muslims. There is hardly any difference between the practice of Halal and Kosher meat promoted by Jews. They also cut the throat and let the animal bleed before cutting off the head. So if we oppose Halal meat we need to oppose Kosher meat also. And as Mahavir ji said the one hit cut of animal's head, what is called "Jhatka" type slaughter what Sikhs want is also not painless. Animals do feel pain in all respects. Ofcourse, the stunning of the animal before slaughter may reduce that pain but we have seen how the people have felt the pain of stunning when used on them by police.So animals also be feeling the pain of stunning as well. Hence the best thing is to avoid eating meat and become a vegetarian but it is a fact of life that all people will not become vegetarians, even Hindus try however hard we may. So best thing to reduce the amount of cruelty to animals is by reducing the amount of meat we eat. Some become vegetarians, which is very good. As did Justice Michael Kirby, who has become a vegetarian after reading about the cruelty to animals.
Hence, our campaign to "Eat-Less-Meat" or "Meat-Free-Day" once a week needs wider support even amongst the Hindu and Indian community. I am going to India to meet with Dr Pankaj Jain of USA and Dr Vanadana Shiva to launch the EcoDharma project in India and I intend to talk to them about our "Meat-Free-Day" campaign for support in India as well as I said previously the meat consumption in India is increasing rapidly, very unfortunately so. It is considered modern and fashioable to do so and to drink alcohol as the advanced Westerners do. We have to be advanced like them as well. Now we have got the money to do that. That is the motivating force behing that.
Please consider before acting. On individual basis you may do whatever you like but when you take a stand on behalf of the Hindu Council, we have to be careful about it.
Kind regards,
Vijai Singhal
From: le...@mail2world.com
To: mahavi...@aapt.net.au
CC: vijai_...@hotmail.com; u2...@hotmail.com; nihal...@gmail.com; sanb...@gmail.com; bob....@randtronics.com
Subject: RE: Hindu Council - Contact Us
Date: Sat, 4 May 2013 15:13:34 -0700
It is very sad to read this description and I no doubt believe it is true and a great injustice to innocent animals...
I think that Mahavirs words 'To resolve food shortage in the world is to promote vegetarian eating habits rather than meat." are very important and a positive educative approach should be the approach in any of our support/ promotion in this area....
Vijai ji has been involved in this aspect for some time , and would be able to guide us if we wanted to further support the idea of promoting vegetarianism for environmental, health and animal rights issues.
I believe it would be much better to support this cause rather than a radical opposition to Islam and halal products...
I am also recently involved in a movement called Transition Towns (Transition Parramatta) that focusses on the environment and local communities including food security - transport v's growing food locally, sustainable non violent food options and community gardens etc... its has some great principles and could be good to learn about to have a more enviro friendly approach in HCA. If we could lead the way on some of these environmental issues I think we would be setting a great example for the community, and benefiting our Mata Bhumi as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transition_Towns
Best wishes, Leah
<-----Original Message----->
>From: Mahavir Arya [mahavi...@aapt.net.au]
>Sent: 5/4/2013 11:06:27 PM
>To: vijai_...@hotmail.com;le...@mail2world.com
>Cc:
>u2...@hotmail.com;nihal...@gmail.com;sanb...@gmail.com;bob.adhar@randtronics.c
>om
>Subject: RE: Hindu Council - Contact Us
>
>Dear Friends
>
>My opinion is that HCA should be vigour’s in promoting vegetarian eating options.
>
>In producing halal meat animal is slaughtered, other than religious believes,
>while spinal cord is left intact with main arteries in the neck cut, and the heart
>keeps beating to pump out almost all the blood from the body. Blood is not only
>prohibited in Islam but also carries all the viruses and bacteria including
>toxins. As evident blood transfusion is one of the cause of transferring diseases
>from one person to another and this makes halal meat is more hygienic. Some
>claims, halal meat tastes better, is tenderer, is healthier and stays fresh longer
>because the absence of blood makes it resistant to bacteria. Few are of the
>opinion that it is only the way animal is slaughtered and you would not be able to
>differentiate the two on your plate if they were both cooked the same way.
>
>In non-halal meat animal’s neck is severed completely but animal is still not
>dead. I have heard that the animal is sometime skinned even before the animal is
>fully dead which is also inhumane.
>
>I am of the opinion that people eat meat because of habit and have germinated
>because of harsh and inhabitable living conditions. To resolve food shortage in
>the world is to promote vegetarian eating habits rather than meat. People can eat
>fish as fish do not suffer the way roaming animals suffer.
>
>It is my suggestion that HCA should distance itself from any activity promoting
>meat consumption in any form.
>
>Regards
>Mahavir
>
>From: Vijai Singhal [mailto:vijai_...@hotmail.com]
>Sent: Saturday, 4 May 2013 9:47 PM
>To: Leah Briers
>Cc: JOHN RAM; nihal...@gmail.com; sanb...@gmail.com; mahavi...@aapt.net.au;
>bob....@randtronics.com
>Subject: Re: Hindu Council - Contact Us
>
>Dear friends,
>This issue of protesting about halal meat has been pursued by the Sikh Council
>President and Sanjeev has been in correspondence with him. Cruelty to animals by
>the meat industry, both the halal and kosher slaughter and whole industrialised
>farming has been a big issue.
>
>We at the Hindu Council started the campaign of Meat-free day with the support of
>Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, a multi faith organisation on 2
>Oct 2008 to reduce the consumption of meat.
>
>It is my privilege to inform you all that this movement has been growing quite
>well. Just last month the Prime Minister Julia Gillard accepted the challenge to
>go meat-free for two weeks when she went to visit the Aberfoyle Park High School
>in SA. Year 12 girl, also named Leah and her friends challenged her to go meat-
>free for environmental and animal cruelty reasons. Please read the news item at
>www.facebook.com/ARRCC
>
>While the meat consumption per person, especially of red-meat has gone done in
>Australia, meat consumption in China and unfortunately in India is going up. This
>is something we should not be proud of and we need to tell our Indian and
>specially Hindu friends that meat eating is not good for their health, not good
>for the environment and not good for the animals. You can read about it on the
>ARRCC website www.arrcc.org.au/eat-less-meat.
>
>Regards,
>
>Vijai Singhal
>
>Sent from my iPad
>
>On 04/05/2013, at 7:57 PM, "Leah Briers" <le...@mail2world.com> wrote:
>Hi all, Thanks for your perspectives, though mine differ a little...... Somehow I
>think this person has sent out many requests of this sort to random orgs, and I
>wonder if we really need to support it. I believe HCA should steer clear of
>advocating for any meat related issues , unless they are directly linked with
>animal cruelty free advocacy or promotion of vegetarianism.
>
>This woman's issue seems to be about prices and I was unable to open the Facebook
>page to find out more info... I think we have many other important issues to
>promote and if HCA is thinking about supporting this cause I think you better do
>some further research into deeper reasons and purpose for this issue and exactly
>what they/ she represent. I also think that it anti Muslim sentiment could also
>play a factor in campaigns like this.... Which is something we need to be very
>careful of...
>
>Just my thoughts... Best regards, Leah
>
>
>
>
>
>On 04/05/2013, at 1:41 PM, "JOHN RAM" <u2...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Namaskar All,
>As the Hindu Council we may advocate vegetarianism. Indeed, it is widely perceived
>that Hinduism and vegetarianism go hand in hand. However, I acknowledge that we
>are not being prescriptive regarding an individual's dietary preference. The halal
>method of killing an animal throws up moralistic challenges. There was a series of
>programmes shown on BBC Knowledge regarding the humane manner in which animals are
>killed in abattoirs (animals are stunned, then throat slit, etc). The halal method
>is viewed as being extremely cruel. So, personally, if an animal has to be killed,
>I would rather it be done humanely.
>
>Question is, due we lend our support as an organisation or individually?
>
>Kind regards,
>
>Neeraj
>
>
>
>From: nihal...@gmail.com
>Date: Sat, 4 May 2013 08:26:58 +1000
>Subject: Fwd: Hindu Council - Contact Us
>To: vijai_...@hotmail.com; le...@mail2world.com; sanb...@gmail.com;
>mahavi...@aapt.net.au; bob....@randtronics.com; u2...@hotmail.com
>FYI
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>From: <trish....@optusnet.com.au>
>Date: 3 May 2013 21:14
>Subject: Hindu Council - Contact Us
>To: cont...@hinducouncil.com.au
>
>
>
>
>Hindu Council - Contact Us
>
>Name: Patrica Norman
>
>Address: 11 Lockett Crt
>
>Phone Number: 61352751538
>
>Email: trish....@optusnet.com.au
>
>Comment: We are protesting and acting to make the government stop the halal trade
>domestically. People who need halal can have it, but we should not be paying the
>costs associated with halal. The cost of meat and poultry has gone up
>substantially and we need to change that. People who have a reason not to eat
>halal should not be eating food that we do not want to eat. I will provide a link
>to our page online and hope you can join us in protesting this outrage.
>https://www.facebook.com/groups/BoycottHalalNow/517029451692174/?
>notif_t=group_activity Regards Trish
>
>
kanti Jinna
May 5, 2013, 9:19:33 PM5/5/13
to hinduco...@googlegroups.com
Dear Vijai,
I have yet to hear from the people regarding our previous correspondence.
regards
kanti
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The Hindu Council of Australia
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Phone : (02) 82504007
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Mahavir Arya
May 6, 2013, 1:14:50 AM5/6/13
to hinduco...@googlegroups.com
Dear Kanti Bhai
Based on yours and other comments I have forwarded final draft to Sanjeev ji to finalise the letter on HCA letterhead and signed by the appropriate person.
Sanjeev ji may circulate final signed copy to HUF members.
Regards
Mahavir Arya
kanti Jinna
May 6, 2013, 1:38:41 AM5/6/13
to hinduco...@googlegroups.com
Thank you Mahavirbhai.
regards
kanti
Bhagwat Chauhan
May 5, 2013, 10:14:59 AM5/5/13
to hinduco...@googlegroups.com, Leah Brier, mahavi...@aapt.net.au, u2...@hotmail.com, Nihal Agar, Sanjeev Bhakri, bob....@randtronics.com
Dear Singhal Ji,
Thanks for the email, we fully suport meat free day and vegitrain meal.
We should not make any comment on Halal or any other form of meat as we don't recommend meat at all
so for us it's not apporiate to recommed any one.
Kind Regards
Bhagwat Chauhan
Ph: 61-412 076 809
Ph: 61-412 076 809
From: Vijai Singhal <vijai_...@hotmail.com>
To: Leah Brier <le...@mail2world.com>; "mahavi...@aapt.net.au" <mahavi...@aapt.net.au>
Cc: "u2...@hotmail.com" <u2...@hotmail.com>; Nihal Agar <nihal...@gmail.com>; Sanjeev Bhakri <sanb...@gmail.com>; "bob....@randtronics.com" <bob....@randtronics.com>; "hinduco...@googlegroups.com" <hinduco...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, 4 May 2013 10:24 PM
Subject: [hinducouncil:105] RE: Hindu Council - Contact Us
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