Halal Certified Products 

You might have heard about the term Halal, but little do you know that it refers to the food that have met the requirements of the Islamic law and are suitable for the consumption of Muslims. As per the name, Halal is considered to be an Arabic Word, meaning permissible, considered being the opposite of ‘Haram’. For example- If there is a product containing an animal by-product prohibited under the law then, it cannot receive the halal certification.

Besides this, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations mentions; "All lawful land animals should be slaughtered in compliance with the rules laid down in the Codex Recommended Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Meat,".

In addition, one can even find the Halal Certificate as mentioned on the labels of the food products, such as dairy products, edible oils as well and Sugar Bakery Products. 

Following this, the UP government mentioned the ban on halal-certified food items, leading to manufacture, storage, distribution and sale with immediate effect. Let us read further to know more.  

Who issues Halal Certified Products?

As per the official website of Halal India, the certification is issued by UAE’s Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Malaysia’s Department of Islamic Development and Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health. 

According to the news, just like the Gulf Nations, India does not have an official advisory body overlooking the certification for Halal Products. In a true sense, the certification of companies and food establishments is bestowed by third-party bodies, such as Halal India and Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust. But, in Arab Nations, a magistrate may grant the Halal certification.

U.P Bans Halal Certified Products with Immediate Effect 

The Uttar Pradesh government made a revelation on Saturday announcing the ban on the sale of halal-certified products in the state with the result of its immediate effect. This news hit like a bombshell, leaving the consumers in shock while announcing the dismissal of such products. 

In its verdict, the state government banned the production, storage, distribution and sale of halal-certified products in the state. Irrespective of the said instructions, export products were informed to be excluded from this ban. This vital piece of information has been confirmed by FSDA Commissioner Anita Singh. 

Following the announcement, it was declared that “Strict legal action will be taken against an individual or firm engaged in the production, storage, distribution, buying and selling of halal certified medicines, medical devices and cosmetics within Uttar Pradesh,” said the state government.

This newly debuted headline created chaos, which was reflected in a verdict that mentioned how halal certification is operating as a parallel system, which creates confusion regarding the food quality by violating the government rules in this regard. 

With this piece of alarming news on the Halal Certification Ban, the government redirected its focus on dairy items, bakery products, edible oils, beverages and medicines that are usually labelled with halal certificates.

The sources reported that several medicines, cosmetic products and medical devices had displayed the Halal Certificate on their packaging, wherein there are no provisions related to the halal certification labelling as per the government rules related to the products mentioned above, and nowhere is the mention of Halal Certification in Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. 

Why this Verdict?

This verdict came in response to the police case filed against the organisations for allegedly, “exploiting people’s religious sentiments as a way to boost the sales, with the falsely forged halal certificates. 
This lodged grievance was the outcome of the anticipated conspiracy, highlighting the attempts that were made to minimise the sale of products from companies that did not have halal certificates, which was deemed to be illegal, as per the UP Government.
Such a piece of discovery was not only found objectionable but had even caused chaos among the people creating social animosity. 

Therefore, the UP government bans halal products with immediate effect and prohibits the distribution, storage or production of these products.