Plea in SC seeks nationwide ban on Halal products

New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) A plea has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking a nation-wide ban on Halal certified products and also withdrawal of Halal certification.

The plea, by advocate Vibhor Anand, said: "That the present petition is being filed by the petitioner on behalf of 85 per cent citizens of the country for the enforcement of their fundamental rights provided under Article 14, 21 of the Constitution of India as the same are being infringed and violated. It is being seen that for the sake of 15 per cent of the population, rest 85 per cent people are being forced to consume the Halal products against their will."

The plea said people who may not be comfortable with halal meat, or for people with religions where only jhatka meat is allowed, no longer have any choice in the matter.

The plea contended that because the acceptance of Halal certification by private organizations like Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and few others mean that the existing government certification like ISI and FSSAI on consumer products are not enough. "Because the Halal certification of products is discriminatory towards other communities and imposes a religious belief on the non-followers too," it alleged.

It said that by allowing the demand of one community of Halal certification by the private organisations gives rise to the apprehension to come up the other communities' demand for similar certification on the basis of their religious belief.

The plea contended that the Muslim minority, which is 15 per cent of the population, wants to consume 'Halal' meat, it is being forced upon the rest 85 per cent of the people. "Now, this 'Halal' certification is not restricted to meat, but it has been extended to even food items, cosmetics, medicines, hospitals, housing societies and malls. It includes snacks, sweets, grains, oils, cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, toothpastes, nail polish, lipsticks, etc," added the plea.

The plea urged the top court to issue direction to the Central government to declare all the certificates issued by various organisations as null and void and also direct the Centre to impose a ban on all products which have been Halal certified.