The Meat Betrayal

The spoiled food scandal has shaken a meat-loving society to its core, exposing deep rot In enforcement and sparking an unprecedented public outcry for justice.

- Ansar Hussain Dar

Kashmir is finally waking up to the reality of what it has been fed.

The revelation that tonnes of rotten meat have found their way to local markets has struck a nerve in a place where meat is not just food but a cultural staple.

People are linking the sudden rise in stomach ailments, unexplained fevers, and other health issues to a scandalous supply chain that has been operating in plain sight.

The anger is raw, the mood restless. Beyond bad meat, this is about a deeply rotten system that allowed it to happen — one that is supposed to guard public health but instead moved only when the stench became too strong to ignore.

The scandal has become a symbol of a wider decay in governance, a reminder of how reactive enforcement has replaced preventive protection.

In mosques across the valley, the Friday sermon took on a sharper tone. Imams called the sale of rotten meat a sin against both God and community, urging worshippers to demand justice and reject complacency.

On social media, hashtags turned into a rallying cry, flooded with photos of questionable meat, videos from frozen food shops, and sharp-edged posts asking why this trade was allowed to run unchecked.

Government officials, facing growing pressure, promised swift action and uncompromising penalties, though few were convinced that this time would be any different.

This food fury stems from a deep sense of betrayal.

Meat in Kashmir is central to weddings, Eid feasts, winter stews, and everyday meals. People trust their local meat stores the way others might trust their grocer or baker, as custodians of tradition and taste. That trust now feels broken.