The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday softened its controversial directive asking all eateries, along a 240km route taken by Kanwariyas in western UP, to display names of owners on shops or carts, after sweeping outrage, Opposition censure, and criticism even by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally that said no order should widen the communal divide.
The police clarified that compliance of its order was “voluntary” after the Samajwadi Party, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, and even BJP ally Janata Dal (United) called for the move to be reviewed.
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“During the holy month of Shravan, many people, especially Kanwariyas, abstain from certain food items. In the past, instances have come to light where some shopkeepers, selling all types of food items, on Kanwar Marg named their shops in such a way that it created confusion among the Kanwariyas and led to a law and order situation,” the order said.
It added: “To prevent such recurrence and in view of the faith of the devotees, hotels, dhabas and shopkeepers selling food items on Kanwar Marg have been requested to voluntarily display the names of their owners and employees. The intention of this order is 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. This system has been prevalent in the past also.”
{{/usCountry}}It added: “To prevent such recurrence and in view of the faith of the devotees, hotels, dhabas and shopkeepers selling food items on Kanwar Marg have been requested to voluntarily display the names of their owners and employees. The intention of this order is 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. This system has been prevalent in the past also.”
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Police in the communally sensitive western UP districts of Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Saharanpur issued orders directing eateries to put the name of owners on shops or carts. Though the order made no mention about religion, opposition leaders and activists alleged that the move was aimed at displaying the faiths of food sellers.
Kanwariyas are Shiva worshippers who undertake an annual pilgrimage to fetch Ganga water in pitchers hung from poles (kanwars) and offer it to the deity at various shrines in the state and outside. Around 30 million Kanwariyas are expected to walk, run or drive to Haridwar from various parts of the country from July 22 till August 2.
On Monday, Muzaffarnagar Police ordered all eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display the name of owners to avoid “confusion” following a demand by some Hindu seers. Similar orders were also issued by police in Saharanpur and Shamli.
“About 240km of Kanwar Yatra route falls in the district. All the eateries, including hotels, dhabas and carts, on the route, have been asked to display the names of their proprietors or those working on these shops. This has been done to ensure that there should be no confusion among kanwariyas,” Muzaffarnagar senior superintendent of police (SSP), Abhishek Singh said on Monday.
Following the decision, pictures of fruit sellers putting their names on carts went viral on social media, sparking widespread condemnation. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav described it as a “social crime” and asked the courts to take suo motu cognisance.
“...And what if the name of the owner is Guddu, Munna, Chhotu or Fatte? What can you find out from these names?” Yadav posted on X, asking the court to investigate the intentions of the government. “Such an order is a social crime aimed at spoiling the peaceful atmosphere and harmony,” he said.
Congress leader Pawan Khera said that those who want to decide what people want to eat also want to decide from whom people should buy.
KC Tyagi, national spokesperson of the Janata Dal (United), the third-largest member of the National Democratic Alliance, said the order by the Muzaffarnagar Police should be reviewed.
“I come from the parts of Muzaffarnagar. I know the area well. The Muslims there have always taken active participation in extending their co-operation to kanwariyas. I feel police do have a duty to identify anti-socials. But any order should not create communal divide. The order should be reviewed,” Tyagi said.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also condemned the decision. “This was called apartheid in South Africa and Juden boycott in Hitler’s Germany,” he said on X. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati criticised the move and stated that it could disturb the communal harmony.
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Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi blamed “overzealous officials” for the order, which he said could “promote untouchability”.
“The hasty orders of some overzealous officials may give rise to the disease of untouchability... Faith must be respected, but untouchability must not be patronised,” he said in a post on X.
On Thursday evening, it appeared that the mounting pressure had prompted the police to walk back its decision partially. Abhishek Singh said the order was “just an appeal” to shopkeepers and cart owners to “display their names voluntarily”. “Pilgrims often avoid eating at non-vegetarian eateries and that is why these directives have been issued,” he said.