The Uttar Pradesh government has granted department stores, outlet chains, and retailers a 15-day period to remove any food items with halal certification from their inventory.
Additionally, it has ordered 92 State-based manufacturers who obtained halal certification for their goods from non-certified organizations to either recall their products within Uttar Pradesh or repackage them. On 18th November, the State outlawed the manufacturing, distribution, storage, and retailing of food items bearing halal certification.
Following that, it looked into about 500 establishments in various districts and 97 locations throughout the state to find halal-certified goods. Up to this point, it has seized about 3,000 kg of halal-certified goods costing Rs 7 to 8 lakh.
Uttar Pradesh stores get 15 days to remove ‘halal certificated’ foodshttps://t.co/z3bHtyhEg2
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) November 26, 2023
UP police lodge FIR against 4 companies for irregularities in Halal certification
The case against four companies for irregularities in the halal certification of products was also transferred by the government to the Special Task Force (STF) of U.P. police from the Hazratganj police station.
The FIR has been registered under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 384 (extortion), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), and 298 (intent to wound religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in response to a complaint by a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) office-bearer.
The BJYM personnel alleged that few companies certified certain products as halal to boost sales among people from a certain community for monetary gains, and this amounts to forgery and cheating.
Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration, Anita Singh commented on the issue and confirmed that all such companies that perform irregularities have been banned and have been asked to register at NABCB.
“As of now, there are only three organizations in India, including one in Lucknow, which is registered with the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) under I-CAS, which are authorized to give halal certification to meat and meat products for export. In addition to this, there are 700-800 organizations across India that have been issuing the halal certification. We have banned all such products, till these companies register with NABCB,” Singh said while speaking to TOI.
Super market chains, retailers sought one month’s time from the govt
She asserted that the Retailers Association of India and chains such as Spencer sought for a month to remove halal-certified products from their shelves but have only been given 15 days.
So far, the Department of Food Safety has seized several halal-certified food items, including sugar, oil, bakery items, sauces, rice, and so on. Many of these items have been produced in states such as Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, as well as in Gurgaon.
For the next two weeks or so, until retailers and other sellers recall halal-certified products, Singh said, the department will continue to inspect to ensure the new order is followed but will not take any punitive action.
The term Halal is used for products, services, or systems that are considered lawful (Tayeib) or permissible under the Islamic Shariah law that do not consist of or contain any part that is considered unlawful (haram) according to Islamic law, and/or the actions permitted by Shariah law without punishment imposed on the doer.
