UP: Yogi Government Launches Massive Statewide Crackdown On Halal Products Day After Announcing Ban

The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration has initiated a crackdown on halal-certified products in all 75 districts of the state.

This action comes just a day after announcing a ban on these products.

A ban has been implemented on the production, storage, distribution, and sale of all halal-certified food products, with the exception of those intended for export.

The ban order against halal-certified products was issued saying that it was a “parallel system that created confusion about the quality of food items”.

According to the officials cited in an Indian Express report, the Food Safety and Drug Administration's state headquarters in Lucknow is monitoring the raids taking place at shopping malls, grocery shops, and other retail outlets.

The Additional Commissioner of the State Food Safety and Drug Administration, Divyanshu Patel, has stated that an order prohibiting the sale of halal-certified products has been circulated to all field units. Reports from all districts are currently being compiled.

When questioned about the quantity of products with halal certification discovered in the raids, Patel explained that it is currently challenging to provide an exact figure.

"We will only be able to give details once reports reach us from everywhere. The action will continue for the next few days," he said.

According to the IE report, food safety officials in multiple districts have reported that no halal-certified products have been discovered thus far.

In Kanpur district, raids were carried out at 23 locations, but no halal-certified items were confiscated, according to an official.

According to a food safety official from Moradabad district, raids have been carried out at four locations, but no products with halal certification have been found yet.

Meanwhile, the state police’s Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday started its probe into an FIR lodged in connection with the sale of halal-certified products in Lucknow on Saturday.

The case was first lodged at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow, but it was later transferred to the STF.

A company and three organizations have been accused of issuing "illegal halal certificates" for products sold in the state. The case also involves "unidentified" manufacturing companies and their owners, individuals involved in an anti-national conspiracy, and individuals funding terrorist organisations.

A complaint was filed by a member of the BJP's youth wing, stating that certain companies are certifying products as halal in order to boost sales within a particular community.

The complainant argued that this practice is like “toying with the public’s faith”, and also alleged that the financial gains from these activities are being used to support terrorist organisations.

The case has been filed against Chennai-based Halal India Private Limited, Delhi-based Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust, Mumbai-based Halal Council of India, and Jamiat Ullema. The charges include criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity, and cheating.

The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the STF, Anant Deo, stated that it is still too early to provide any details regarding the investigation. He assured that all aspects of the case will be thoroughly examined.

The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, which was accused in the case, has dismissed the allegations as baseless and stated that it will take appropriate legal action to address and refute such misinformation.

“At Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind Halal Trust, our certification process aligns with manufacturers’ requirements for both export and domestic distribution in India. The global demand for halal-certified products is robust, and it is imperative for Indian companies to obtain such certification, a fact endorsed by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India (Ministry’s trade notification number 25/2022-23),” it had said.