New Delhi (Sputnik): The American fast-food giant is facing a huge backlash for serving halal meat to customers across India, prompting calls for a boycott.

McDonald's was involved in a social media storm on Friday following a query by a Twitter user who asked the fast-food chain if it had a halal certificate,

Halal food is prepared by slaughtering an animal under Islamic law whereby the animal's throat is cut by a sharp knife severing the carotid artery, jugular vein and windpipe in a single swipe to drain out the blood of the carcass.

The company replied to the query saying all its “restaurants have halal certificates,” perhaps little realising the backlash that was soon to follow.

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) — McDonald's India (@mcdonaldsindia) August 22, 2019

Some social media users slammed the fast food restaurant for serving halal meat to a non-Muslim majority nation.

The boycott campaign has already reached around 7,300 tweets.

The responses triggered the #boycottMcDonalds campaign to trend on twitter, focusing on concerns that the Islamic (halal) way of slaughtering animals is cruel.

Halal is the most cruel way of slaughtering by reciting verses from📗 #AllahuAkbar while its throat is slit so that all blood drains out &it experiences excruciating pain while dying



This footage shows how they are laughing while sheep is struggling for life



*Content Warning* pic.twitter.com/HeNoqhnAiE — Dr. Vedika (@vishkanyaaaa) August 23, 2019

I don’t want to eat needlessly cruel halal meat. What option do I have? Or should I not eat at McDonald’s? — Siva (@aususa7) August 22, 2019

Ok, say bye to all your Hindu and Sikh customers. Halal is most cruel way if hurting and killing an animal. No Hindu or Sikh will approve that cruelty towards animals. #BoycottMcDonalds #SayNoToHalal https://t.co/bFxmoAFBcW — Truth Speaks (@TPrasadSpeaks) August 23, 2019

​Others demanded the use of ‘Jhatka’ - a practice of killing an animal with a single strike.

Na.. I've always called out @KFC_India for their obsession with #Halal meat. @kfc has to address the grievances of 80% of their customers in #India who don't prefer #HalalChicken. Also its time for customers to be upright and demand #jhatka meat.#BoycottKFC — 🇮🇳 Bharat ye rehna chahiye 🇮🇳 (@iamniteshnaik) August 22, 2019

Go To Hell, then. We Hindus only have JHATKA MEAT, Will educate others as well to not have any Non Veg Food From your chain. If you not want to end up like ZOMATO, ensure that JHATKA MEAT is served. Else, embrace for Financial Loss. https://t.co/ySGeo7Cxec — ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (@HasdaaPunjab) August 23, 2019

Others slammed McDonald's for religious discrimination against Hindus and Sikhs.

In India Halal is consumed only by Muslims who constitute only 13% of the population. The majority 80% of the population Hindus consume Jhatka and Not Halal. You're actually forcing Hindus to consume Halal which is against their religion. Religious discrimination. Please stop. — ARNAB CHATTERJEE (@ARNAB_SUSPRO) August 23, 2019

So no concern for Hindu sensibilities? I hope you know Hindus have only Jhatka meat? Or yet to know about that! @Jhatkaadotorg #jhatka — Ajai (@ajai2012) August 23, 2019

DO you have any responsibility for other religions except Islam?Do you realise what you have been doing to all the other customers who don’t want to have Halal meat ??About time you wrote on Every product, outside Every store of yours in bold letters-ONLY HALAL served ! Do it ! — Ritu (@RitumoudgilRitu) August 23, 2019

​Some people who are against animal killing in general actually stood up for the company.

Meat is meat....an animal is sacrificed to satisfy uour appetite whether it's halal or non halal..even if it is not halal ,that poor creature still suffers n bears d pain of being killed so u should stop uoself calling hindu n overreacting on such petty issues #boycottmcdonalds — monika jain (@jainmonika444) August 23, 2019​