The Sikh religion and wider cultural values prohibit any meat that is slaughtered by slitting the throat of an animal, and especially in the name of any religion. The current issues faced by the community are as follows:

  1. The lack of provision for Jhatka meat means that practising Sikhs feel impelled to avoid meat entirely;
  2. Those who do not avoid meat (generally non-practising) are compelled to consume non-Jhatka meat, which is strictly prohibited by the Sikh faith, due to the lack of provision;
  3. Those who choose to eat meat while avoiding non-Jhatka are often involved in unregulated Jhatka practices, which pose their own health and safety concerns, in addition to falling foul of relevant policy, regulation and legislation.

There is only one solution: reviving the practice of Jhatka in the UK. Our aims are twofold: to pursue everyday and traditional Jhatka.

Everyday Jhatka

In a modern commercial context, Jhatka would be implemented through the use of a high-calibre penetrative captive bolt to immediately stun-kill the animal. This would be followed by decapitation, using a mechanical instrument, i.e. guillotine, emulating the single-strike method of the traditional sword. The emphasis remains on ensuring the animal is instantly killed in a painless and ethical manner. Everyday Jhatka will not only satisfy the needs of the Sikh community, it will also serve as a benchmark standard for the wider secular society.

Traditional Jhatka

In its traditional form, Jhatka involves the swift decapitation of the animal with a single strike of a sword. The purpose behind this method is to ensure the animal is killed within Sikh principles, focusing on a humane, painless and compassionate death. The carcass is then processed as normal, with no ritualistic fixation. Traditional Jhatka will allow the rights of the Sikh faith to be preserved in practice and will be strictly regulated so as to ensure its sole use is in congregational settings. As such, and in line with recommendations from leading animal slaughter and welfare organisations, this meat will be restricted from entering any commercial supply chain.