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Yogi digs in on Kanwar order despite backlash

By, Lucknow
Jul 20, 2024 07:46 AM IST

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath doubles down on controversial order to display eatery owners' names along Kanwar Yatra route, facing pushback.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday doubled down on a controversial order asking eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of owners even as the diktat prompted more pushback from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allies and condemnation from the Opposition.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath chairs a meeting with state cabinet ministers on July 17. (PTI)
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath chairs a meeting with state cabinet ministers on July 17. (PTI)

A day after the Uttar Pradesh Police softened its stance by making the order – first issued in Muzaffarnagar on July 15 – voluntary, the chief minister’s office extended the directive to all Kanwar Yatra routes across the state and instructed strict compliance, said a government spokesperson on condition of anonymity.

An Uttar Pradesh government spokesperson said a formal order was likely to be issued soon. “The chief minister issued this directive to ensure that participants of the Hindu procession did not get disturbed during their pilgrimage…the order was to be carried out on all Kanwar Yatra routes in the state,” he said.

He further said the CM issued a directive to initiate action against those selling and promoting Halal-certified products. In November 2023, the state government had cracked down on certification of Halal food, which signals that consumption of a food item is permissible for Muslims.

No formal order was issued till the time of going to print.

On Monday, Muzaffarnagar Police ordered all eateries, shops, food carts and restaurants 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. 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, and marginalise Muslim traders.

The government is battling criticism of the order from its allies. After the Janata Dal (United) spoke out against the move on Thursday, the Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (LJP-RV) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) both condemned the order on Friday.

When asked if he supported the order, Union minister and BJP ally Chirag Paswan told PTI, “No, I don’t.”

“Whenever there is such a divide in the name of caste or religion, I absolutely do not either support it or encourage it. I do not think any educated young person of my age, irrespective of the caste or religion they come from, is affected by such things,” he added.

Another National Democratic Alliance member, RLD, also hit out at the move. RLD UP chief Ramashish Rai called the decision unconstitutional and demanded it be taken back.

“The directive from the Uttar Pradesh administration requiring shopkeepers to display their name on their shops is a step that promotes caste and communal divisions. The administration should withdraw this unconstitutional decision, he said in a post on X.

The JD(U), too, added more teeth to its opposition.

Party spokesperson KC Tyagi said the Muzaffarnagar police order should be withdrawn as it may cause communal tension and there should not be any discrimination based on religion or caste.

“A Kanwar Yatra bigger than this takes place in Bihar. No such order is in effect there. This directive is in violation of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ that the PM speaks of,” he said.

But the BJP appeared unfazed.

“Social organisations of western Uttar Pradesh have complained that restaurant owners and street vendors hide their real identity and use fake names. Kanwariyas follow rituals to maintain sanctity of the yatra during the entire pilgrimage. They prefer eating in outlets that are neat and clean and offer pure vegetarian food. In the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 it is specified that the licence holder will display the licence and name of the proprietor in his outlet. Same is the case in the Street Vendors Act 2014. All this controversy behind the state government’s order is politically motivated.” said state BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi.

A senior BJP leader associated with the party’s minority morcha said statement targeting the Muslims have the potential of undoing the party’s outreach towards the community.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had emphasised that the BJP should build bridges with minorities, the Christians and the Muslims; careless statements from some of the members threaten to overshadow the efforts being made to empower all the communities and erase differences,” the functionary said.

On the controversy stoked by UP government’s order, the functionary said, it was “regretful” that Muslims are being denied opportunities.

“These are sensitive issues, and one has to tread carefully, but over the last few years we have noticed a tendency among people to fall victim to propaganda against Muslim vendors and establishments. Hopefully the government will ensure that there is no discrimination against any community or faith,” the functionary said.

VK Mishra, in-charge of the weights and measures department of Meerut, said that as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, every restaurant and dhaba “sanchalak” (manager) needed to display the name of the firm, the owner’s name, and the licence number.

Neighbouring Uttarakhand said it will also implement the decision.

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the purpose of the decision was not to target or put anyone in trouble. “Why should anyone have any problem in introducing themselves?” he asked. There have been criminal incidents at Har ki Pauri in Haridwar in the past when tension broke out over some hotel and dhaba operators hiding their true identities, Dhami said, adding that the decision was taken to prevent such situations.

BJP’s minority morcha chief Jamal Siddiqui, however, accused the opposition of politicising the issue. He said that the Muslims were not barred from doing business but only to display their names.

“This is a festival that is pious and has significance for the Hindus, and it is only fair that no one should hurt their sentiments by hiding their identity or by impersonation. The district administration has taken steps after it came to light last year that some people had used fake names to conduct business,” he said.

The decision to reveal names, he said, was to ensure there were no “ghuspaithiya” or intruders.

“The Congress and the Samajwadi party are misleading the Muslims. They are politicising the issue and using the Muslims as a beat. There is no bar on Muslims from conducting any business,” Siddiqui said.

Inspector general of Garhwal, KS Nagnygal, said the move would maintain social harmony during the Kanwar Yatra.

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.

The controversy – and Adityanath’s tough posture on the issue – comes at a time when the BJP’s first major introspection of its underwhelming Lok Sabha elections showing in Uttar Pradesh has triggered rumblings within the party’s state unit, amid political posturing and fevered speculation at a string of high-profile meetings in Delhi and Lucknow.

On Monday, the order was first issued in Muzaffarnagar.

“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.

Then, on Thursday, the UP Police clarified that compliance of its order was “voluntary”.

“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,” the police said.

But on Friday, with the chief minister’s office virtually walking back the relaxation, the issue has again boiled over.

“The Indian Constitution allows every citizen for no discrimination on the basis of caste, religion, language or other factors. But this move to force display their names on carts, eaters and shops is a direct attack on our Constitution,” Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra posted on X.

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