The Uttar Pradesh government led by CM Yogi Adityanath has designated 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 remain closed throughout the state on the specified date.
Who is Sadhu Vaswani?
Sadhu Thanwardas Lilaram Vaswani, an Indian educationist known for initiating the Mira Movement in Education and establishing St. Mira's School in Hyderabad, Sindh (now in Pakistan), is commemorated on this day. Pune is home to the Darshan Museum, a dedicated space showcasing his life and teachings.
November 25, the birthday of Sadhu Vaswani, is acknowledged as International Meatless Day.
This declaration follows closely on the heels of the Uttar Pradesh government's recent decision to prohibit the production, storage, distribution, and sale of food items with halal certification, effective immediately, excluding products intended for export.
Halal ban in UP
In its announcement, the state government asserted that the decision to restrict the use of products lacking a halal certificate was prompted by what they deemed as "malicious attempts." According to the government, these attempts not only aim to gain "unfair financial benefits" 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."
Subsequent to the prohibition on Halal-certified products, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) conducted raids at various locations to inspect food items. On November 22, an FSDA team raided a McDonald's outlet in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, as part of the state government's recent crackdown on allegedly inauthentic Halal-certified products.
During the inspection, FSDA officials scrutinized several food items and identified Halal-certified products, particularly in packaged wraps.
Further raids were carried out at Sahara Mall in Lucknow, where eight companies were discovered to be selling Halal-certified products, leading to the registration of cases against them.
