UP CM calls Halal certification “greatest attack on Sanatan Dharma” in anti-Islam rhetoric
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh’s Hindutva Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has once again targeted Muslims, launching a sweeping and highly inflammatory attack on the practice of Halal certification.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in a speech at the centenary celebrations of the RSS in Gorakhpur, Yogi Adityanath called Halal certification “the greatest attack on Sanatan Dharma”. Notably, Sanatan Dharma is used as an alternative name for Hinduism.
He claimed that funds generated from Halal-certified products were being used to “finance terrorism, love jihad, and religious conversions.” He even went as far as to say, “When purchasing any item, check if it has a Halal certification label. We have banned it in Uttar Pradesh. Today, no one in Uttar Pradesh will dare to buy or sell it,” he said at the gathering. These remarks are not only factually incorrect but also deeply Islamophobic, attempting to demonize the Muslim community by falsely associating their religious practices with extremism and social unrest.
Adityanath also took the opportunity to push his long-standing rhetoric against what he calls “political Islam,” portraying it as a grave threat to India’s demographic and social harmony. He said, “Our ancestors fought against this threat, but it is hardly discussed now”. He said that while British and French colonialism are often discussed in history, there is little mention of “political Islam”. By drawing this false equivalence between Halal certification and “political Islam,” he is advancing an agenda of religious polarization.
The Uttar Pradesh government’s decision earlier this year to impose a ban on Halal-certified products under the pretext of food safety violations has been widely criticized. Experts from the food industry have debunked Adityanath’s claims, explaining that Halal certification is a voluntary, internationally recognized practice that ensures compliance with certain dietary guidelines and does not have any connection to “terrorism” or “religious conversions,” as suggested by the Chief Minister.
Indian Opposition parties and Muslim organizations have strongly condemned Adityanath’s latest remarks, calling them it an attempt to polarize voters ahead of key civic and bypoll elections. They argue that his comments serve only to deepen religious divisions and fuel hatred, with no basis in reality or factual evidence.
This is not the first time Adityanath has engaged in religious rhetoric aimed at demonizing the Muslim community. His comments continue a troubling pattern of targeting Muslims as a political strategy, seeking to rally his base by portraying them as a threat to India’s cultural and religious identity.
Rana Ayyub, renowned Indian journalist and author, remarks, weighed in on the controversy, saying, “Nothing to see here, except for the Chief Minister of India’s largest state linking halal food to terrorism. It has become open season on tormenting and humiliating the country’s 220 million Muslims, all with impunity.
