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'Halal certification for non-meat products against Constitution': BJP MP Medha Vishram Kulkarni

NEW DELHI: BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Vishram Kulkarni on Wednesday sought immediate withdrawal of halal certification for non-meat products, saying it is against the Constitution. She also said that private bodies should not be allowed to issue such certification on products that are sold outside the country, only the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has the right to issue food certification. Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, Kulkarni said that the concept of halal is associated with a specific religion and faith, and the same should not be imposed on people of other faiths. India is a secular country and people of other faiths also live in India. There are people for whom eating halal meat is against their faith. Such as Hindus and Sikhs, specifically, said Kulkarni, an MP from Maharashtra. Moreover, imposing halal certified meat on non-vegetarian people does not seem right in a secular country because our Constitution gives the right to respect one's own faith, she said. Halal certification is recognition that a product or service is in compliance with Islamic dietary laws. Kulkarni further questioned halal certification given to non-meat products such as milk, sugar, oil, and medicines. Not only this, non-food items like construction material, cement, plastic, chemicals or other... have also been given halal certification. It is illogical and full of apprehensions, which undermines secularism, she claimed. My demand is that halal certification for non-meat and other non-food items be immediately withdrawn, Kulkarni said, adding that private institutions' authority to grant such certification should be revoked with immediate effect. FSSAI has been given rights to give food certification and private institutions or bodies should not be allowed to give such certification, the MP added. Despite this provision, religious institutions or private organisations have the right (to do halal certification). My demand is that, for those who believe in halal, if certification is to be given, it should be given through the government system and the charges for such certification should be deposited in the government treasury, she said.