Adityanath orders mandatory mentioning of names on Kanwar route eateries
The move came a day after the police softened its controversial directive asking restaurants along the 240km route the pilgrims take in the western part of the state amid criticism
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday ordered mandatory mentioning of owners of all eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route across Uttar Pradesh a day after the police softened its controversial directive asking restaurants along the 240km stretch the pilgrims take in the western part of the state.
A spokesperson for the state government said Adityanath has issued “stern directives” over displaying names and identities of the owners of eateries, shops and carts on the route to ensure that religious sanctity of the pilgrimage remains intact, and the pilgrims are not disturbed during the 11-day pilgrimage beginning on July 22 in the Hindu holy month of Shravan. He added Adityanath also directed action against those involved in selling and promoting halal (permissible in Arabic) products.
The Opposition criticised the earlier police directive while Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), the third-largest member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre, said no order should widen the communal divide.
JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said he comes from Muzaffarnagar and knows the area well. He added Muslims there have always actively participated in extending their cooperation to pilgrims. Tyagi said police have a duty to identify anti-socials but any order should not create a communal divide. He called for reviewing the order.
Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the decision and likened it to apartheid in South Africa and the Juden boycott in Hitler’s Germany.
BJP leader and former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi blamed “overzealous officials” for the order, which he said could “promote untouchability”. He said the “hasty orders of some overzealous officials may give rise to untouchability”. Naqvi said faith must be respected, but untouchability must not be patronised even as the police on Thursday clarified that compliance with its order was “voluntary”.
The police said many, especially Kanwariyas, abstain from certain food items during Shravan. They cited instances in the past and said it came to light that some shopkeepers, selling all types of food items, on Kanwar Marg named their shops in such a way that it created confusion among the pilgrims and led to a law and order situation.
The police said to prevent such recurrence and given the faith of the devotees, hotels, dhabas, and shopkeepers selling food items on the route have been requested to voluntarily display the names of their owners and employees. They insisted the intention of the order was not to create any kind of religious discrimination but only to facilitate the devotees passing through Muzaffarnagar district, counter allegations and save the law and order situation.
The police in the western Uttar Pradesh districts of Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, and Saharanpur issued orders directing eateries to put the names of owners on shops or carts. The order made no mention of religion, but Opposition leaders and activists alleged that the move was aimed at displaying the faiths of food sellers.
The pilgrims (kanwariyas) are Shiva worshippers who undertake an annual pilgrimage to fetch Ganga water in pitchers hung from poles (kanwars). They offer the water to the deity at shrines. Around 30 million Kanwariyas are expected to walk or drive to Haridwar from across the country from July 22 until August 2.
On Monday, Muzaffarnagar Police ordered all eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of owners to avoid “confusion” following a demand by some Hindu seers. Similar orders were also issued in Saharanpur and Shamli.
Pictures of fruit sellers putting their names on carts went viral on social media. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav described it as a “social crime” and asked the courts to take suo motu cognisance. He asked the court to investigate the intentions of the government. Yadav said such was aimed at spoiling the peaceful atmosphere and harmony.
Uttar Pradesh minister Kapil Dev Agarwal, who is an assembly member from Muzaffarnagar, backed the idea during a review meeting for the pilgrimage last week.