Supreme Court Review A petition challenging the Uttar Pradesh government’s directive for eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners will be heard by the Supreme Court on Monday. The Association for Protection of Civil Rights filed the petition against this controversial move.
Government Order The Muzaffarnagar police issued an order last week requiring all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display owner names to prevent confusion. This directive was subsequently expanded by the Uttar Pradesh government to apply statewide, with Uttarakhand following suit. Both states are governed by the BJP.
Expansion to Other Regions In a similar vein, the Ujjain Municipal Corporation in Madhya Pradesh has mandated that shop owners display their names and mobile numbers outside their establishments. Ujjain Mayor Mukesh Tatwal announced on Saturday that violators would face fines of Rs 2,000 for the first offence and Rs 5,000 for repeated non-compliance.
Political Reactions Several BJP allies, including the LJP, JD(U), and RLD, have criticized the directive. Union Minister and BJP ally Chirag Paswan stated he would never support or encourage any divide based on caste or religion. JD(U) leader KC Tyagi called for the order’s withdrawal, citing potential communal tensions and the need to avoid discrimination based on religion or caste. RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary emphasized that the pilgrimage is not exclusive to any one religion or caste.
Diverse Opinions Yoga guru and businessman Baba Ramdev has supported the move, asserting that everyone should be proud of their names. He remarked, “If Ramdev has no problem revealing his identity, then why should Rahman? Everyone should be proud of their name. There is no need to hide the name; only purity in work matters. If our work is pure, it does not matter if we are Hindu, Muslim, or from any other community.”
