According to an order from the Uttar Pradesh government, the halal certification of food goods is a separate system that leads to confusion.
Credit: NDTV
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A controversy has arisen from the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to outlaw goods bearing halal labels. The Yogi Adityanath government banned the manufacturing, storing, selling, and distribution of food items certified halal in a notification. Products made for export, however, are free from this order.
A look at the UP’s ban and Halal certification
What Is Halal?
The Arabic word “halal” means “permissible”. It is the binary opposite of “haram,” which in the context of the Islamic faith means “forbidden.” Halal largely has to do with eating customs, particularly how meat is prepared, for Muslims. A number of medications and cosmetics are also forbidden since they contain animal byproducts, which Muslims are not allowed to eat.
How Halal meat differs from regular meat?
The only meat that the Quran expressly forbids is pork. However, animal flesh must also be prepared and preserved in compliance with Islamic law in order to pass the halal inspection. The way the animal died is one of the requirements for halal meat. Generally speaking, vegetarian food is halal unless it contains alcohol. Cosmetics and medications are also prohibited, as many of them involve by-products from animals. However, there is one exception. Any Muslim who is “compelled by necessity – neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need” is allowed to eat non-halal food; in other words, a person who would otherwise starve to death is allowed to eat non-halal food.
What products are Halal and Haram?
The only meat that the Quran expressly forbids is pork. However, animal flesh must also be prepared and preserved in compliance with Islamic law in order to pass the halal inspection. The way the animal died is one of the requirements for halal meat. Generally speaking, vegetarian food is halal unless it contains alcohol. Cosmetics and medications are also prohibited, as many of them involve by-products from animals. However, there is one exception. Any Muslim who is “compelled by necessity – neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need” is allowed to eat non-halal food; in other words, a person who would otherwise starve to death is allowed to eat non-halal food.
UP Halal-Tag Banned
According to the UP government’s directive, the Food Law Food Safety and Standards Act’s Section 89 does not support the halal certification of food products, which it claims is a parallel system that causes confusion. The authorities and institutions listed in Section 29 of the aforementioned Act, who verify the pertinent requirements in accordance with the Act’s provisions, are the only ones with the authority to determine the quality of food items, it continued.
It stated that some medications, medical equipment, and cosmetics are known to have the Halal certificate displayed on their packaging or labelling, even though the government regulations pertaining to medications, medical equipment, and cosmetics do not include a clause requiring the marking of Halal certification on labels.
The order by the UP government was prompted by a complaint alleging a possible conspiracy to reduce sales of non-halal products. The complaint claimed that this was hurting other communities’ businesses. According to the lawsuit, this nefarious attempt not only aims to gain unfair financial advantages by granting Halal certificates for goods intended for regular people, but it also is a premeditated plot to incite enmity between social classes, rift society, and undermine the nation.
The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust, one of the organisations mentioned in the lawsuit, called the accusations “baseless” and threatened to take “necessary legal measures”. the Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind Halal Trust has reached a milestone by ensuring that the trust abides by government regulations, as highlighted in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry notification, which mandates that all halal certification bodies be registered by NABCB (National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies under Quality Council of India).
Halal Certification in India
There is no mandatory halal certification system in India, nor are there any labeling regulations for halal food items that are imported into the country. A few private businesses certify products as halal, making them acceptable. The importing nations acknowledge these groups. Earlier this year, the ministry of commerce declared that meat products could only be exported as “halal certified” if they were processed and packaged in a facility that held a certificate issued by an organization approved by the Quality Council of India board.
