Yatnal Urges Centre to Ban Halal Certification Agencies Nationwide
Yatnal criticized the issuance of Halal certifications to restaurants, hotels, slaughterhouses, and cosmetic products
Vijayapura: Bijapur City MLA and former Union Minister Basangouda R. Patil Yatnal has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to impose a nationwide ban on all Halal certification agencies, claiming that funds collected through these bodies are being “misused for anti-national activities.”
In a letter dated October 23, Yatnal criticized the issuance of Halal certifications to restaurants, hotels, slaughterhouses, and cosmetic products, stating that such practices are not in the right spirit and primarily cater to Muslim consumers. He alleged that certain Islamic organizations, under the guise of religious identity, are promoting Halal certification across food, meat, cosmetics, and other products.
“When we have the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare overseeing food safety and regulations, what is the need for multiple Halal certification agencies? Does this not dilute the law?” he questioned.
Yatnal cited judicial observations, including the Supreme Court’s 2014 judgment and the 2016 Madras High Court order, to support his stance. He argued that Halal certification falls under Sharia law, which has no legal standing in India, making the practice illegal. “Only FSSAI has the authority to label or certify any product. Other organizations issuing Halal certifications are acting illegally and must be banned immediately,” he wrote.
He warned that differentiating products based on religious identity could unfairly benefit one community while harming others economically. Highlighting that the Uttar Pradesh government has already banned all Halal certification agencies, Yatnal urged the Centre to follow suit, emphasizing that national interest and sovereignty must take precedence over other considerations.
