Uttar Pradesh imposes ban on ‘Halal’ food products

WEB DESK: The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Narendra Modi, has issued a ban on food products carrying the “Halal” tag.

The Food Commissioner’s Office, in an immediate order, has prohibited the manufacturing, storage, distribution, and sale of such products.

According to the official statement reported by NDTV, the ban stems from concerns about the Halal certification system, which is viewed as a parallel system, causing confusion about the quality of food products.

The order emphasises that the authority to determine the quality of food items rests solely with the authorities and institutions specified in Section 29 of the relevant Act.

These entities are mandated to examine standards in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

State officials have defended their decision, citing actions against a company and several other organisations accused of “exploiting people’s religious sentiments” to enhance sales through the issuance of “fake” halal certificates.

According to Express News, legal proceedings have been initiated against entities like Halal India Private Limited Chennai, Jamiat Ulema Hind Halal Trust Delhi, Halal Council of India Mumbai, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra, and others.

The allegations include the issuance of fraudulent Halal certificates, resulting in increased sales.

Responding to the accusations, Jamiat Ulema Hind Halal Trust released a statement dismissing the claims as “baseless” and asserting their intention to take necessary legal measures to counter misinformation.

The Food Commissioner’s Office clarified that certain food products, including dairy items, sugar bakery products, peppermint oil, salty ready-to-eat flavours, and edible oils, bear the Halal certification mentioned on their labels.

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