A passenger’s recent complaint about ‘Halal’ tea being served on an Indian Railways coach has caused a stir on social media. The video capturing the incident quickly went viral, showing a Hindu passenger expressing his concern over the product, as the term ‘Halal’ often refers to meat or animal-related items, leading him to question whether the beverage contains non-vegetarian elements.

In the video, the passenger can be seen calling an IRCTC official and explaining the situation. “Sawan ka mahina chal raha hai, aap halal chai pila rahe hain (You are serving halal tea during the month of Sawan),” he voiced his concern.

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In response, the staff assured him that the tea is indeed vegetarian, saying, “Chai vegetarian hi hota hai, sir (Tea is vegetarian only).” They also acknowledged the issue raised by the passenger and promised to address it to ensure the comfort of all passengers.

The incident occurred on the Vande Bharat Express, where the passenger was served a tea from the brand ‘Chaizup.’ The tea premix carried a ‘halal certification,’ even though it was labeled as ‘100% vegetarian,’ which left the passenger perplexed and worried, especially during the Hindu’s holy month of Shravan.

For clarity, the term ‘Halal’ signifies that the food or product adheres to Islamic dietary guidelines and is permissible for consumption by followers of Islam. Halal India, responsible for the Halal Certifications in the country, is recognized in 120 countries all over the world to acknowledge the categorization of different dietary items.

This incident in the train has sparked some debate in the virtual medium, as a couple of years ago, groups like Sri Ram Sene and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti raised concerns about the imposition of the halal certificate on Hindu communities in India. They argued that such foods are not spiritually suitable for offerings or consumption by Hindus of their kind.