Union Minister Giriraj Singh has urged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to impose a ban on Halal certificates for food products in the state, echoing similar actions taken in Uttar Pradesh. Singh, the Minister for Rural Development, expressed concerns about the purported connection between Halal certification and activities potentially linked to social discrimination and terrorism.
In a letter addressed to CM Nitish Kumar, Singh raised alarm over what he described as an attempt to Islamize products unrelated to the religion through Halal certification. He accused institutions of issuing these certificates without adherence to Islamic standards and claimed that substantial payments are involved in this certification process, hinting at a larger conspiracy.
Singh referenced Uttar Pradesh’s recent actions against Halal certification, urging Bihar to adopt similar stringent measures against what he termed as “jihad” under the guise of Halal products.
Uttar Pradesh recently implemented a ban on certain Halal-certified products, including dairy, garments, and medicines, while exempting those intended for export. The state government’s move aimed to eliminate confusion regarding the quality of food items and the parallel certification system of Halal.
Backing this stance, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserted that food certification should exclusively be handled by governmental agencies like the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Sources By Agencies
