Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane announced the launch of a portal to register all jhatka mutton and chicken vendors across the state under the newly introduced Malhar certification on March 10.
The goal of the Malhar certification program is to guarantee that only Hindus from the Khatik group run the meat stores that specialise in jhatka meat.
In a social media post announcing the portal, Rane emphasised the significance of the project for the Hindu community and advised Hindus to only buy from stores that have received the Malhar accreditation.
Rane posted on X, “Today, we have taken a very important step for the Hindu community in Maharashtra. MalharCertification.com (http://malharcertification.com) has been launched for this purpose. Through Malhar Certification, you will have access to meat shops that are entirely controlled by the Hindu community, where the sellers will also be Hindu. There will be no adulteration in the meat anywhere. I appeal to everyone to use Malhar Certification as much as possible and to avoid purchasing meat from places that do not have this certification. This initiative will undoubtedly help Hindu youth become economically self-sufficient.”
Rane also introduced a new website, MalharCertification.com, as part of the campaign, which aims to link customers with approved Jhatka meat suppliers.
Malhar Certification: What Is It?
To unify Hindu meat traders, Maharashtra Fisheries and Port Cabinet Minister Nitesh Rane established the Malhar certification campaign.
While ensuring that goat and sheep meat, prepared as per Hindu religious customs, is fresh, clean, free from saliva contamination, and not mixed with any other animal meat, it also seeks to guarantee that non-Halal meat is available for Sikhs and Hindus.
Only Hindu Khatik community traders will be able to purchase the meat offered on this platform.
The Malhar website claims that to ensure that meat preparation adheres to the customs of the Hindu Khatik community, the platform supports sellers who follow stringent Hindu religious practices.