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BHANDARI & ASSOCIATES

ADVOCATES & SOLICITORS

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

BY- COURIER

DATE: 26.08.2019

I. MCDONALD'$ INDIA (HRPL) [ADDRESSEE NO. 1)

HARD CASTLE RESTAURANTS PVT. LTD. 1001 - 1002,

TOWER 3, lOTH FLOOR, INDlABULLS FINANCE
-

CENTRE, SENAPATI BAPAT MARG,

ELPHINSTONE ROAD, MUMBAI- 400013

Il. MR. AMIT JATIA (ADDRESSEE NO. 2)

MCDONALD'S INDIA [WEST & SOUTH REGION]

JOINT VENTURE PARTNER & MANAGING DIRECTOR,
HARDCASTLE RESTAU RAN TS PVT. LTD
INDlABULLS FINANCE CENTRE, TOWER3,IOTH
FLOOR, TULSI RD,
PIPE PRABHADEVI, MUMBAI,
MAHARASHTRA 400013

m. MR. VIKRAM BAKSHI (ADDRESSEE NO. 3)

MCDONALD'S fNDIA !EAST & NORTH REGION}

JOINT VENTURE PARTNER & MANAGING DIRECTOR,
CONNAUGHT PLAZA RESTAURANT PRrVATE LIMITED
PRAKASHDEEP BUILDING, 7, TOLSTOY RD,
BARAKHAMBA, NEW DELHI, DELHI 110003

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 I

To Respected,

I. WHEREAS- Our client is Mr. Harish Sharma, Son of

Satish Sharma, aged about 55 years,

ls a social worker and also an avid consumer of

Addressee No. l 's food chain.

II. WHEREAS-The Addressee No. 1 is Mcdonald's India

(HRPL) having office at Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt.
Ltd. 1001 - 1002, Tower - 3, lOth Floor, lndiabulls
Finance Centre, Senapati Bapat Marg, Elphinstone
Road, Mumbai - 400013 and is one of the leading fast
food chain and franchise in India and also around the
world.

Addressee No 2 is M.r. Amit Jatia, Joint Venture

Partner and Mcdonald's India [West & South Region]
Managing Director having office at Hardcastle
Restaurants Private Limited: India bulls Finance
Centre, Tower 3, lOth Floor, Tulsi Pipe Rd, Prabhadevi,
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013.

Addressee No 3 is Mr. Vikram Bakshi, Joint Venture

Partner and Mcdonald's India [East & North Region\
Managing Director, having office atConnaught Plaza
Restaurant Private Limited: Prakashdeep Building, 7,
Tolstoy Rd, Barakhamba, New Delhi, Delhi 110003

m. WHEREAS- On 22.08.2019 a statement was officially

issued by addressee No. 1 on twitter [verified official
account] that "The meat that we use, across our
restaurants, is of the highest quality and is
sourced from government-approved suppliers who
are HACCP certified. "on an inquiry asked by a
concerned citizen regarding your Meat policy.

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N. WHEREAS- This is to seek clarification on your policy
with respect to type of meat being supplied to
customers. The tweet makes it apparent that you only
purchase and serve HALAL MEAT. That majority of the
Indians eat "Jhatka meat".

That the fundamental difference between Jhatka meat

and Halal meat is that Halal food is that which
adheres to Islamic law, as defined in the Qur'an and
Jhatka, or Chatka is the meat from an animal killed
instantaneously, such as by a single strikeand also
less painful for the animal and is largely consumed
and slaughtered by Hindus and Sikhs.

V. WHEREAS-The guidelines issued by the official

website of a certification of halal in India
[halalindia.co.inj makes it clear that Non-Muslim
employees cannot be employed in any part of the
slaughtering process.

This means the you the Addressee No.1 to 3 are

depriving butchers and other people in meat business
who are not Muslim but follow other religions like
Hinduism, Sikhism, Christianityetc. fromequal
opportunity to earn and do business. Further, the
department of Halal certification of the EU makes it
even more clear that employment opportunities at
halal firm will be exclusively available to Muslims.
Hence, it is not only a diet preference but plays a
critical role in deciding who is involved in the process
of slaughtering the animal and labelling it. Therefore, if
one purchases only or overwhelmingly HALAL MEAT
that is anon-going discriminatory practicebased on
religion against Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and others
and is in effect an economic boycott of them.

VI. Furthermore, your abovementioned tweet makes it

clear that you only serve halal meat and not other
forms of meat like Jhatka meat or "Kosher Meat" i.e.
traditional Jewish meat. Choosing to serve only a

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 specific process meat to exclusion of all others is
primia faeie economic, social, racial and religious
discrimination.

VII. WHEREAS- This is to clarify that any form of practice

carried out which is violative of basic Fundamental
Rights and is discrimination on the basis of Religion,
Race, Caste, Sex or Place of Birth is an offence.

VID. WHEREAS-certain religions in India are specifically

forbidden to eat halal meat as it causes intense pain to
animals and is the process is considered a torture.
Serving only halal would thus be hurting religious
sentiments of such communities.

IX. WHEREAS- It is unfortunate to know that Addressee

No. l 's policies with respect to types of meat served is
very contradictory to that in the western world and
some example of it is Canada& United Kingdom.

That upon asking an inquiry with respect to

McDonald's offering of halal chicken or beef; Address
no. l 's Canada chain replied that "... our menu items
are not halal".Thus, it is evident that an international
chain like McDonald's actions are socially,
economically, racially and religiously discriminative in
nature. Relevant tweet reflecting the distinction
between McDonald's policy in India, United Kingdom
and Canada is attached as ANNEXURE L-1.

X. WHEREAS-Therefore, you the Addressee No.1-3 ARE

CALLED UPON to reply and issue a public
tweet/ statementthat your food chain does not buy
"ONLY" Halal meat. That in case it was till now buying
only halal meat, it must stop immediately and buy
and serve all forms of meat.

XI. WHEREAS-In vie'� of the facts and situation

aforementioned, the Addressee are called
upon to

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immediately, clarify their policy with respect to
purchase of meat and type of meat used in their
products and being served to customers to us within
15 days of receipt of this notice.FAILING WHICH- We
are under preemptory instruction to take immediate
civil and criminal action against the Addressee and/ or
another person concerned with the issue mentioned
above. That all such legal action shall be at your cost
and expense.

Sincerely,

ISHKARAN SINGH BHANDARI

(ADVOCATE)
BHANDARI AND ASSOCIATES
ADVOCATES & SOLICITORS

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 ANNEXURE L-1

MCDONALD'S INDIA TWEET

hibailyas @h\bailyas89 · 23h v

@mcdona1ds\nd\a ls McDonald's In lndla halal certified?

Q 24 tl. 8 CJ 62

McDona\d's India O @mcdonaldsindia 23h ·

v

ihank you for taking the time to contact McDonald's India. We truly
appreciate this opportunity to respond to your comments.
The meat that v"'e use, across our restaurants, is of the highest quality
and ls sourced from government-approved suppliers who are HACCP
certified. (1/2)
Q 157 t1 111 \) 497 �

McDonald's India O v

@mcdonaldsindia

All our restaurants have HALAL certificates. You can

ask the respective restaurant Managers to show you
the certificate for your satisfaction and confirmation.
(2/2)

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MCDONALD'S UK TWEET

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MCDONALD'S
CANADA TWEE
T