A Political War on Faith: How Yogi Adityanath Uses False Narratives About Halal to Fuel Hindutva’s Agenda and Polarize Voters

India’s Hindutva leadership has opened a new front in its war against Muslims. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is leading a hateful attack on the basic practice of Halal certification. This is not a random act but a calculated project to criminalize Muslim identity and economic life.

♦ A New Low in Majority Politics: Adityanath’s comments are an open declaration of war on a lawful religious and business practice.

♦ Manufacturing a National Threat: This speech clearly attempts to create an internal threat, painting a simple dietary rule as a plot against the majority faith.

The RSS Stage and the Hindutva Agenda

Adityanath chose the RSS centenary celebrations in Gorakhpur to make these hateful remarks. This is the heart of the Hindutva movement, where such words are celebrated. His speech signaled commitment to his most extreme political base.

♦ The ‘Greatest Attack on Sanatan Dharma’: His claim that Halal is the “greatest attack on Sanatan Dharma” is a huge lie, twisting reality to portray Muslims as plotters.

♦ Framing Economics as Warfare: This language frames a peaceful business activity as religious warfare, providing a reason for state-sponsored attacks.

The Baseless Link to Terrorism and ‘Love Jihad’

The most dangerous part of his speech is the false, hateful attempt to link Halal certification with crime. He claimed, without evidence, that Halal funds “finance terrorism, love jihad, and religious conversions.” This is a lie designed to make the entire Muslim community look like criminals.

♦ A Deliberate and Factually Incorrect Lie: This accusation is a textbook case of provoking hate, designed to spread fear by associating Muslims with extremism.

♦ Criminalizing Muslim Economic Life: By linking Halal to terrorism, the state is trying to criminalize the Muslim economic system, cutting them off from jobs and business.

State Power as a Weapon of Bigotry

Adityanath’s words are not empty threats; they are backed by state force. He bragged that his government “banned it in Uttar Pradesh” and “no one… will dare to buy or sell it.” This is a frightening declaration of authoritarian power built purely on religious prejudice.

♦ A Ban Founded on Hate, Not Safety: The UP ban on Halal products, hidden under a weak excuse of food safety, is fooling no one. It is a policy founded on bigotry, not public good.

♦ A Declaration of Authoritarian Control: The Chief Minister’s threatening language reveals the ban’s true nature: a political tool to enforce religious supremacy and scare minorities.

Inventing the ‘Political Islam’ Bogeyman

To give his hate speech a fake intellectual excuse, Adityanath pushed his story against “political Islam.” He portrayed this made-up concept as a threat, comparing it to colonialism. This is a dishonest argument that ignores history.

♦ A False and Dangerous Comparison: Comparing a dietary practice with the plunder of colonialism is a twisted lie. It creates a new enemy to justify state oppression.

♦ The Agenda of Religious Division: By falsely linking Halal and “political Islam,” Adityanath is clearly pushing an agenda to split Indian society for political gain.

The Simple Reality of Halal Certification

The Chief Minister’s claims fall apart instantly when faced with simple facts. Food industry experts and global trade bodies have repeatedly clarified the true nature of Halal certification. It is not a plot, but a globally recognized and voluntary process.

♦ An International Standard of Compliance: Halal certification simply ensures products follow Islamic dietary rules, much like Kosher certification. It is a standard practice in a global market.

♦ Experts Disprove the Vicious Claims: Professionals have completely disproven Adityanath’s claims, confirming the practice has no connection to terrorism or his other wild accusations.

The True Motive: Dividing Voters

The timing of these comments leaves no doubt about their true purpose. With local elections approaching, this is a familiar and selfish trick to divide voters. Adityanath is not governing; he is campaigning on a platform of pure religious hatred.

♦ A Desperate Pre-Election Tactic: Opposition parties and Muslim groups rightly call this a desperate attempt to gather the Hindu vote by inventing a common enemy.

♦ Fueling Hatred for Political Gain: These comments have no basis in reality. Their only purpose is to deepen religious divisions and rally a political base by painting Muslims as a threat.

A Continuing Pattern of State-Led Hatred

This is not a one-time incident. It is a key part of the troubling and steady pattern of the Modi government. For years, Adityanath and other BJP leaders have targeted Muslims as a core political strategy, portraying the 200-million-strong minority as a danger to India.

♦ Targeting Muslims as a Political Strategy: From citizenship laws to hijab bans and now to Halal products, the Hindutva government is non-stop in its hunt to attack the Muslim community.

♦ A Grave Threat to India’s Future: This state-led campaign of hate damages Indian society, tears up its constitution, and exposes the intolerant, majority-rule face of ‘New India’ to the world.