The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has declared November 25 as a “no non-veg day” in honor of the birth anniversary of Sadhu TL Vaswani. According to an official statement, all meat shops and slaughterhouses will be closed today across the state.
Sadhu Thanwardas Lilaram Vaswani was an Indian educationist who started the Mira Movement In Education and established St. Mira’s School in Hyderabad, Sindh (now in Pakistan). A museum, the Darshan Museum, dedicated to his life and teachings, was opened in Pune.
Sadhu Vaswani’s birthday on November 25 is acknowledged globally as International Meatless Day.
The recent announcement followed the Uttar Pradesh government’s swift ban on the production, storage, distribution, and sale of food items with halal certification. This measure took immediate effect, with an exception for products specifically manufactured for export.
Read More: Uttar Pradesh implements immediate ban on sale of Halal-certified products
While making the announcement, the state government accused those attempting to dissuade the use of products without a halal certificate of engaging in “malicious efforts.” According to the government, these actions not only aim for “unfair financial advantages” but are also seen as part of a “pre-planned strategy to sow class hatred, create divisions in society, and weaken the country” orchestrated by “anti-national elements.”
After the prohibition of Halal-certified products, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) carried out inspections at various locations to scrutinize food items. On November 22, a team from FSDA conducted a raid on a McDonald’s outlet in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, as part of the state government’s recent initiative to clamp down on counterfeit Halal-certified products.
During the raid, FSDA officials conducted a thorough examination of various food items, revealing the presence of Halal-certified products, particularly in the form of packaged wraps.
Raids were also conducted in Sahara Mall, Lucknow, where eight companies were discovered selling Halal-certified products, leading to the registration of legal cases against them.
