Uttar Pradesh declares 'no non-veg day' on Nov 25, all meat shops to remain shut

The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has declared November 25 as "no non-veg day" to commemorate the birth anniversary of the revered Indian educationist, Sadhu TL Vaswani. This decision, outlined in an official statement, mandates the closure of all meat shops and slaughterhouses across the state on the aforementioned date.

Sadhu TL Vaswani, the founder of the Mira Movement in Education and the visionary behind St. Mira's School in Hyderabad, Sindh, is celebrated globally for his contributions to education. In Pune, a dedicated museum named Darshan Museum immortalizes his life and teachings.

November 25, the birthday of Sadhu Vaswani, is internationally recognized as "International Meatless Day," adding a global perspective to the Uttar Pradesh government's decision.

This announcement comes on the heels of the recent ban imposed by the UP government on the production, storage, distribution, and sale of food products with halal certification. The ban, effective immediately, exempts products manufactured for export. The government alleges "malicious attempts" to discourage the use of non-halal products, attributing such efforts to "anti-national elements" with a "pre-planned strategy to sow class hatred and weaken the country."

In a subsequent crackdown, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) conducted raids on various establishments to examine food items for authenticity. Notably, on November 22, an FSDA team raided a prominent McDonald's outlet in Lucknow, discovering Halal-certified products, specifically packaged wraps.

The scrutiny extended to Lucknow's Sahara Mall, where eight companies were found selling Halal-certified products, leading to the registration of cases against them. These actions underscore the state government's commitment to ensuring the authenticity of food products and upholding its recent directives.