The Himachal Pradesh government has distanced itself from remarks made by its Public Works Department and Urban Development Minister, Vikramaditya Singh, who stated that all eateries and food stalls in the state would be required to display the owner’s ID card. This surprising announcement came just a day after the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh issued similar directives.
On Thursday, a spokesperson for the Himachal government clarified that a committee had been established to formulate a policy regarding street vendors and had not yet made any decisions. “Currently, the state government has not mandated the display of nameplates or any form of identification by vendors at their stalls,” the spokesperson stated.
Sources indicated that this response followed a message from Congress central leadership, expressing discontent to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Vikramaditya, urging them to avoid such “divisive” actions. AICC in-charge for Himachal Pradesh, Rajeev Shukla, spoke to both leaders to convey the leadership’s displeasure.
Congress minority wing chief and Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi reportedly brought the matter to Rahul Gandhi’s attention during a meeting on Thursday.
This incident echoes earlier controversies when the district authorities in Muzaffarnagar directed businesses along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners’ names, prompting criticism from the Congress towards the UP government led by Yogi Adityanath.
Given the surprise among many Congress leaders over Vikramaditya’s comments, Shukla issued a statement asserting that there would be no decision akin to that of Uttar Pradesh. “I have spoken with both the Chief Minister and Vikramaditya Singh. The truth is that a committee was formed to draft a street vendors’ policy aimed at allocating designated spaces for vendors and regulating them to prevent harassment… There has been no decision regarding name displays,” Shukla clarified.
He further noted, “There is no ‘Yogi pattern’ here… In Uttar Pradesh, everything is politicised and communalised. I want to emphasise that there is no direction from the government or the Chief Minister regarding the display of names.”
While Shukla stated that the leadership had not “reprimanded” Sukhu or Vikramaditya, sources mentioned that the leadership had conveyed strong displeasure. A senior leader remarked, “This reflects weak leadership on Sukhu’s part.”
In response, Vikramaditya, who has previously expressed dissent over Sukhu’s selection as CM and taken divergent stances on issues like the Ram Temple, stood by his statement. In a phone conversation with The Indian Express from Delhi, he said, “My comments regarding the display of IDs are based on guidelines issued by the Supreme Court and various high courts.”
He acknowledged that the committee discussing a policy for street vendors had not yet released its findings, adding that he spoke as Urban Development Minister, not as a member of the committee.
CWC member and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor criticised the move, saying that it could lead to customer discrimination based on the vendor’s identity rather than product quality. “While I understand the need for a vending licence to be displayed, it should be in the name of a company or establishment, not necessarily an individual. What if a vendor from one community employs an assistant from another? Can he be accused of misleading customers by only posting his name?” Tharoor queried.
He suggested that the courts may need to consider whether such requirements infringe on the Right to Privacy established in the Puttaswamy judgement.
Senior leader and former Chhattisgarh Deputy CM T.S. Singh Deo remarked that there is no need for such a requirement, as fixed businesses are already governed by the Shops and Establishment Act. He questioned the necessity of displaying an individual’s name, stating, “Every fixed place of business must be registered with the local authority. Credentials are already available, and a certificate must be displayed prominently… So why include a person’s name?”
When asked whether the decision had communal undertones, Singh Deo responded, “Of course it appears communal. It is a very shortsighted and foolish approach,” expressing regret that such issues persist 77 years post-Independence.
In response to these developments, senior BJP leader and former CM Jai Ram Thakur criticised the situation, describing it as a “mockery of the system.” He stated, “If the state government is distancing itself from the statement made by its sitting Cabinet minister, then something is seriously wrong within the government.”