Display owners’ names on eateries on Kanwar Yatra route: Cops
Kanwarias buy food from roadside eateries and the order has been issued to avoid any confusion, so that no allegations and counter-allegations are made, and no law-and-order situation arises: SSP
MEERUT The Muzaffarnagar police have asked eateries, including roadside carts, along the 240-km route of the Kanwar Yatra to display names of owners and staff members to “avoid any confusion” among the yatris.
The annual yatra is set to be held from July 22 to August 2. It is an annual pilgrimage during which Shiva worshippers undertake a trek, mostly on foot, to collect water from the Ganga and offer it in Shiva temples across states.
Speaking to the media, senior superintendent of police, Muzzaffarnagar, Abhishek Singh said: “Kanwarias buy food from roadside eateries and the order has been issued to avoid any confusion, so that no allegations and counter-allegations are made, and no law-and-order situation arises later.”
The order comes a month after Muzaffarnagar MLA and minister of state (independent charge) Kapil Dev Aggarwal held a meeting on preparations for the yatra, and said that while he had no objection to Muslims running businesses in the area, they should not name their shops after Hindu gods or goddesses to avoid any conflict.
The order has triggered sharp reactions from the opposition parties, who alleged that it targets Muslims.
{{/usCountry}}The order has triggered sharp reactions from the opposition parties, who alleged that it targets Muslims.
{{/usCountry}}In a post on X, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera posted: “Not just political parties, all right-thinking people and media must rise against this state sponsored bigotry. We cannot allow the BJP to push the country back into dark ages.”
Samajwadi Party leader Sudhir Panwar accused the state government of “pushing its divisive policy using administration and police.” “Such orders are nothing but a coveted attempt of polarising people on the lines of religion,” he said.
A social activist and lawyer of Supreme Court Farha Faiz, however, supported display of the names of owner and staff of eateries. “Operating food joints with Hindu names is an act of cheating, which could hurt religious sentiments of people during the yatra. Such confrontation could be avoided by executing such precautionary measures,” she said.
