Patna— Union Minister Giriraj Singh has penned a letter to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, calling for a ban on the production, storage, distribution, and sale of food items with halal certification in the state. Singh, emphasizing the role of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), raised concerns about halal certification evolving as a self-styled standard for various products.
Singh pointed out that the FSSAI, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is the designated authority for setting science-based standards for food articles. However, he expressed apprehension about halal certification being used for trade in diverse products such as dry fruits, oil, cosmetics, salted eatables, medicines, and medical equipment.
In the letter, Singh urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to take strong action, stating, “Halal certification is a design patronized by the Congress as part of its vote politics and now it has proliferated the market across the country to establish a parallel economy.” He also suggested that this certification is against the Constitution and equated it to treason in a secular democracy like India.
Highlighting the actions taken in Uttar Pradesh, where a ban on halal-certified products was announced, Singh mentioned the crackdown initiated by the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration to expose the alleged conspiracy.
Singh expressed concerns about a potential larger conspiracy and its implications. He further stated, “In a secular democracy like India, halal certification is not only against the Constitution but also akin to treason.”
The Union Minister also raised the possibility of terror links and urged Bihar to follow Uttar Pradesh’s lead in banning halal-certified products. He concluded the letter by calling for a thorough investigation into the matter.
