Amid a social media campaign by right-wing Hindu groups and Sikh organizations against halal certification of products in the country, the Agricultural and Processed Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) removed the word from its’ Manual of red meat ‘.
APEDA also clarified that there were no conditions by the Indian government regarding halal meat. “It is a requirement of most importing / importing countries. Halal certification agencies are directly accredited by the respective importing countries. No government agency has any role in this, ”he said.
While the previous Red Meat Manual of APEDA, which handles agro-exports under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said that “animals are slaughtered strictly according to the halal method to meet the requirements of Islamic countries,” now it says that “the animals are slaughtered according to the requirement of the importing / importing country.”
It has also deleted these lines: “Animals are slaughtered by the halal system under the strict surveillance of (an) Islamic body recognized and registered according to the principles of the Islamic Shariyat. The halal certificate is issued by the representative of the registered Islamic body under whose supervision the slaughter is carried out to meet the requirements of the importing country. “
Sources said the change was made because the use of the word halal in the old manual gave the impression that it was mandatory for all meat exports.
Islamic countries only allow the importation of certified halal meat, and India exports buffalo meat to many of them. In 2019-20, India exported buffalo meat worth Rs 22,668.48 million, with the main buyers being Vietnam (Rs 7,569.01 million), Malaysia (Rs 2,682.78 million), Egypt (Rs 2,364.89 million) Rs), Indonesia (Rs 1,651.97 crore), Saudi Arabia (Rs 873.56 crore), Hong Kong (Rs 857.26 crore), Myanmar (Rs 669.20 cr) and the United Arab Emirates (Rs 604.47 cr). Most exports to Vietnam and Hong Kong are diverted to China.
Right-wing groups, who had cited the APEDA manual to say that the government appeared to be promoting halal meat, called the change “the first step in the right direction.” However, said Harinder Sikka, one of the leading proponents of halal certification, “This is just one step. We will continue our campaign. Halal meat is haram (illegal) for us Sikhs. “
Sikh organizations have also approached the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Hardeep Puri, to stop serving halal meat on Air India flights.
Sikka claimed that halal certification had led to job losses for other communities as slaughterhouses prevented them from handling meat, citing halal requirements.
VHP’s Vinod Bansal called the business a “halalanomy” and said: “Halalanomy should stop in the country. It has captured the whole economy … Halal certification must be removed from everything, “he said, adding:” If there is a halal certification, there must be a jhatka certificate.
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