Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday ordered all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners across the state. The Kanwar Yatra will begin on July 22.
This decision comes a day after Uttar Pradesh’s police in Muzaffarnagar revoked its orders, making it “voluntary” for eateries to display the owners’ names, following backlash from the opposition parties.
In order to ensure the smooth conduct of the Kanwar Yatra, Adityanath mandated that food and beverage shops along Kanwar routes display the name and identity of the operator/owner to maintain the sanctity of the pilgrims’ faith. Additionally, action will be taken against those selling halal-certified products, ANI reported.
Following the diktat, every eatery, be it a restaurant, a roadside dhaba, or even a food cart, will have to display the name of the owner.
Earlier today, Uttar Pradesh Minister Kapil Dev Agarwal alleged that Muslims, under the garb of Hindu names, sell non-vegetarian foods to pilgrims. “They write names like Vaishno Dhaba Bhandar, Shakumbhari Devi Bhojanalaya, and Shuddh Bhojanalaya and sell non-vegetarian food,” the minister stated.
Yesterday, the Muzaffarnagar Police had urged all eateries along the Kanwar route to “voluntarily display” the names of their owners and employees, adding that the intention of this order is not to create any kind of “religious discrimination” but only to facilitate the devotees.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Police has also issued directives asking the eateries along Kanwar Yatra routes to put the owners’ names on the board.
Opposing the move, former Samajwadi Party MP Dr ST Hasan said,”…A message is being given to boycott Muslims and visit shops of Hindu…How long will this communal thinking last? Unfortunately, these kinds of incidents are happening…A gap is being created between the two communities. These kinds of orders should be cancelled…”
UP state Congress chief Ajay Rai said, “This is absolutely impractical. They are trying to impair the sense of brotherhood in society, trying to create distance among people. This should be cancelled immediately…”
Earlier on Thursday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav labelled the order as a “social crime” and called for court intervention, questioning the intention behind the government and administration’s actions.
“What will be known from the name of the person whose name is Guddu, Munna, Chhotu or Fateh? The honourable court should take suo-motto cognizance investigate the intention of the government behind such administration, and take appropriate punitive action. Such orders are social crimes that want to spoil the peaceful environment of harmony,” he said in a post on X.
(With inputs from ANI)