New Delhi: The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) of Uttar Pradesh has made seizures worth over Rs 5 lakh amid the controversy over halal certification in the state.
Speaking to ThePrint, FSDA Commissioner Anita Sinha said 482 inspections were conducted in 38 districts, and 97 raids carried out.
“Eighty-three samples have been taken for testing, and substances totaling 2,275.35 litres seized,” she added, saying the seized items included rice, pasta, semolina, tamarind, and tomato puree.
Sinha said some of the seized items were found to be “suspicious”, but did not specify the nature of the suspicion.
“All these items will be sent for testing,” she added, saying the companies that manufactured the products had been given the certification by firms named in an FIR filed in Lucknow.
The FIR is at the heart of the ongoing row.
The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is cracking down on halal certification for packaged goods amid allegations the procedure is being used to propagate propaganda, create divisions, and aid “anti-social/anti-national” causes.
India lacks a national halal regulation, and relies on private organisations recognised by importing nations for the process.
On Saturday, the state banned halal certification for packaged products — except those meant for exports — citing the absence of halal certification in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which oversees all food certification in India.
A statement issued by the UP government also referred to allegations made in the aforementioned FIR against organisations offering this certificate, including Halal India Private Limited, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust, and Halal Council of India.
The Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force (STF) is investigating the FIR — based on a complaint by BJP youth wing leader Shailendra Kumar Sharma — which alleges the process is being misused to decrease the sales of products from companies lacking the halal certificate.
While generally associated with meat, halal — which is Arabic for ‘permissible’ — categorises products that are suitable for consumption and use in line with Islamic norms. It can extend to several products, for example, pharmaceuticals, processed foods and cosmetics, according to the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust.
The ban has stoked a controversy in India, with Niaz Ahmed Farooqui, CEO of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust, calling it an “economic crime”.
“Shocked” by the allegations of “terror funding”, he has nevertheless been trying to assuage the concerns of international buyers regarding the ban.
Farooqui represented India at the five-day Halal World Asia 2023 programme — from 17-21 November — in Indonesia. When international leaders raised concerns about the ban, Farooqui is learnt to have emphasised to them that exports are exempt and it is meant for domestic purposes alone.
A January report in The Economic Times pegged the global halal food market at $1.978 trillion in 2021, estimated to reach $3.907 trillion by 2027.
Also Read: ‘Parallel arrangement, creates doubt’ — UP bans halal certification for food items except exports
‘We only provide certificates for exports’
The Jamiat trust has said it is accredited to give halal certification, registered with the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) under the Quality Council of India, in line with Union commerce ministry norms.
“We only provide halal certificates for export purposes,” said Farooqui. “We don’t know why they have put our name in that FIR. We only work and follow the government procedure,” he added.
According to Farooqui, the ban was an “economic crime”, and a political move taken with next year’s Lok Sabha elections in mind. There is also talk among Muslim organisations of challenging the ban in court on the grounds that it will cause significant harm to businesses.
“These allegations are entirely baseless,” said Farooqui.
He suggested the allegations of funding anti-national activities were absurd, saying every manufacturing company pays them around Rs 26,000 annually, and they file GST.
“How can terrorism be funded with such minimal funds? And all our documents are audited by government institutions,” he added.
“If they want, we can stop issuing certificates today, but it will result in millions of rupees in losses, and all the goods will go to waste,” he added.
Halal India Private Limited, meanwhile, claimed they had not received any notice regarding the FIR filed against them.
“We have not received any information about this, and the administration will decide the next steps,” said Mohamed Huzaifa, the organisation’s Business Development Manager – International.
Process of certification
Describing the process of halal certification, Farooqui said it involved a three-step submission by manufacturers.
The first form is for general applicant information, while the second categorises applicants as abattoirs, food producers, or food-serving premises.
The third form focuses on specific product details, covering ingredients and production processes, with distinct sections for company and product information, he said.
Accredited organisations scrutinise the first form for company specifics like addresses, licences, and bank details. Simultaneously, they assess if the ingredients used in manufacturing are halal-compliant.
If the committee discovers any discrepancies or prohibited ingredients, the forms are rejected. Companies that provide accurate information undergo further scrutiny, with auditors visiting the manufacturer’s factory to inspect hygiene, ingredients, and environmental compliance.
The auditors categorise food products into two groups: ‘Halal Critical’ and ‘Halal Non-Critical’.
An auditor, on the condition of anonymity, said ‘Halal Critical’ pertains to ingredients sourced from animals, and alcohol and weed — products prohibited in Islam. ‘Halal Non-Critical’, he added, includes vegetables and fruits, which align with Islamic norms.
Talking about the need for a halal tag on items like namkeen, sugar, and cosmetics, he said it is meant to ensure no animal-derived or prohibited ingredients are used in the chemical processes that go into their manufacture.
Once the auditors submit their reports, a council within the certification agency reviews them as well as company documents and issues a six-month certificate. Renewal is to be sought a month before expiry. Surprise visits at the factory/company are conducted every 2-3 months.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
Also Read: Halal ban only for companies selling packaged products, not hotels & restaurants, says UP FSDA chief