Yogi Adityanath-Led Uttar Pradesh Government Outlaws Halal Certified Products

The Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led Uttar Pradesh government has recently decided to outlaw products with halal tag.

Halal certification for food products involves adherence to Islamic dietary laws and signifies that the food is prepared by Islamic principles.

Specifically, halal foods are those made, produced, manufactured, processed, and stored using machinery, equipment, and/or utensils that have been cleansed in accordance with Islamic law.

Additionally, these foods are free from any components that are considered impermissible for consumption in Islamic dietary guidelines.

The UP government has argued that the parallel certification system creates confusion regarding the quality of food items and is not deemed acceptable under Section 89 of the Food Safety and Standards Act.

It has also emphasised that the authority to determine the quality of food lies solely with institutions specified in Section 29 of the Act, which assess relevant standards according to the provisions of the legislation.

The ban comes in the wake of a police case filed against certain entities accused of exploiting religious sentiments to boost sales by providing allegedly "forged" halal certificates.

The complainant alleges a large-scale conspiracy aimed at decreasing the sale of products lacking halal certification, which is deemed illegal by the government.

Halal certification is not limited to food products; it extends to medicines, medical devices, and cosmetics.

The government contends that the labeling of certain products with a Halal certificate lacks legal basis, as there are no provisions for such marking in government rules related to drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics.

The move aims to curb what the government perceives as the exploitation of religious sentiments for financial gain, fostering social animosity, and violating public trust.

Entities facing legal action, such as Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust, deny the allegations, terming them as "baseless" and expressing intent to take necessary legal measures to counter what they describe as misinformation.