Police registered a case against a company and a few other organisations for allegedly exploiting people’s religious sentiments to boost sales by providing forged halal certificates. An FIR was lodged at the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow on Friday.
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — Premier Muslim organisation, Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, has maintained that its operations would continue as its halal trust adheres to government regulations, as emphasised in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry notification. The ministry requires all halal certification bodies to be registered in NABCB (National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies under the Quality Council of India), the Jamiat said in a press release issued here on Saturday.
The clarification, the Jamiat said, is necessitated following reports that a First Information Report (FIR) has been filed in Lucknow against entities such as Chennai-based Halal India Private Limited, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust Delhi, Halal Council of India Mumbai, Jamiat Ulama Maharashtra and others for allegedly exploiting religious sentiments to boost sales by providing halal certificates to customers of a specific religion.
“Our certification process aligns with manufacturers’ requirements for both export purposes and domestic distribution in India. The global demand for halal certified products is robust, and it’s imperative for Indian companies to obtain such certification, a fact endorsed by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India (notification no. 25/2022-23),” the Jamiat statement said.
On the halal issue, the Jamiat said it is a matter of choice of individuals and manufacturers preferring certain certifications for their own satisfaction based on the credentials which the certifying authorities enjoy. “It saves a large number of consumers from using products which they do not want for a variety of reasons and ensures availability of need-based products in the market. Those who do not want to use such products are free not to use them,” the statement said.
Halal certification, the Jamiat said, stands as a “significant economic activity benefiting our nation. It’s not merely a requirement for importing countries but also for tourists visiting India, particularly those seeking halal-certified products during their stay” in the country.
The organisation said it collaborates closely with APEDA (Agricultural Products Exports Development Authority of India) and Indian embassies worldwide and actively promotes Indian halal-certified products in global markets. “If India needs to export, then we need to fulfill these mandatory requirements set by the importing countries. Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind Halal Trust’s Halal Certificates are globally recognised by different governments and authorities across the world. Authorities in countries like Malaysia (JAKIM), Indonesia, Thailand (CICOT), Singapore (MUIS), South Korea (MFDS), Qatar (MoH), UAE (MOIAT, ESMA & EIAC), Saudi Arabia (SFDA), SASO (Saudi Arabia) and all Gulf countries recognise our certificates,” it said.
The Jamiat statement criticised individuals propagating false claims against halal certification and said their claims “directly undermine our national interests. Halal trade stands as a significant $3.5 trillion industry, and India benefits from its promotion in exports and tourism, particularly with our crucial trade partners in the OIC countries and Southeast Asia,” it said.
Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind Halal Trust also plans necessary legal measures to counter such misinformation.
In Lucknow, the FIR was registered at the Hazratganj police station on Friday on the basis of a complaint lodged by Shailendra Kumar Sharma, a resident of Motijheel Colony in Aishbagh, media reports reaching here said.
The case has been registered under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 298 (uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings), 384 (extortion), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.
