LUCKNOW: Politics in Uttar Pradesh is heating up again following a recent directive from the state government. Eateries, dhabas, fruit shops, and tea stalls along the Kanwar yatra route have been asked to display nameplates indicating proprietors’ details.
Additionally, the state government has announced that action will be taken against those selling products with Halal certification.
Following the lead, Uttarakhand Police have also released a set of directives for food establishments situated along the paths of the Kanwar yatra. According to Pramod Singh Dobal, the Senior Superintendent of Police in Haridwar, these businesses are required to prominently display specific information about their owners.
“All those who operate hotels, dhabas, or street food stalls have been ordered to display the proprietor’s name, QR code, and mobile number at their establishment. Those who fail to comply will face strict action and will also be removed from the Kanwar route,” stated Dobal. The police have made it clear that non-compliance with these instructions will result in serious consequences, including the possibility of being barred from operating along the Kanwar yatra routes.
Last year, the Uttar Pradesh government had banned Halal certification on various food products, including dairy products, sugar, bakery items, peppermint oil, namkeen (ready-to-eat savory snacks), and cooking oil.
Halal certification guarantees that food is prepared according to Islamic law and is unadulterated. Those found selling Halal-certified products within the state will be prosecuted under Section 30 (2) (d) of the Food Safety and Standards Act. However, the ban does not apply to products intended for export.
These new directives have provided fresh ammunition for opposition parties to criticize Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath‘s government and the BJP.
New guidelines
In line with directives from chief minister Yogi Adityanath, the Urban Development Department has released a set of guidelines to ensure the smooth movement of devotees during the Kanwar yatra in the month of Shravan.
Urban local bodies serving the Kanwars are instructed to focus on maintaining cleanliness, hygiene, proper lighting, and drinking water arrangements in urban areas.
Amrit Abhijat, the principal secretary of the department, emphasized the importance of preparedness during this religious month. “All urban bodies in the state must stay alert and provide basic facilities to the devotees during the Kanwar yatra. We are committed to ensuring that devotees and local residents face no inconvenience. To achieve these goals, all relevant departments and local bodies have been instructed to adhere to the guidelines,” he stated.
Mandatory guidelines include:
* Cleanliness measures
Deployment of sanitation workers in advance
Regular garbage collection
Use of disinfectants along the route
Protection of camp areas from vector-borne diseases
Proper drainage arrangements
Covering open drains
* Drinking Water and Refreshments
Provision of clean drinking water through water tanks and stations
Availability of refreshments like shikanji (fresh lime water) with public support
Lighting Arrangements:
* Repair and maintenance of streetlights
Ensuring regular power supply
*Plastic ban campaign
Special campaign against banned plastic carry bags and thermocol disposable products
Efforts to make the Kanwar yatra a zero-plastic event
* Traffic management
Pothole-free routes through patchwork and repairs
Use of technology such as the integrated command and control center and intelligent traffic management system
These comprehensive measures aim to provide a seamless and safe experience for the devotees and local residents during the Kanwar yatra.
Political controversy
The Muzaffarnagar Police advisory has sparked intense reactions from various political parties and leaders. The Congress party questioned whether the move was intended to economically boycott Muslims and Dalits.
Congress objects
In a video message on Thursday, Congress spokesman Pawan Khera said, “It will be mandatory for fruit and vegetable vendors, restaurant and dhaba owners on the route of Kanwar yatra to write their names on the board. Whether this is a step towards economic boycott of Muslims or Dalits, or both, we do not know. Those who wanted to decide who eats what, will now also decide who buys what from whom.”
When the order was objected to, the authorities pointed out that there was no protest when dhabas displayed “Halal” on their boards. Khera responded, “The answer to this is that even when a hotel board says ‘pure vegetarian’, we still do not ask the name of the hotel owner, cook or waiter. Having the words ‘pure vegetarian’, ‘jhatka’, ‘halal’ or ‘kosher’ written on a street stall helps the eater to choose the food of his choice. But who will benefit from writing the name of the dhaba owner?”
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.”
Samajwadi Party labelled the order as a “social crime”
On Thursday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav described the order as a “social crime” and urged the court to intervene.
He questioned the intention behind the government and administration’s actions, stating, “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.”
Former Samajwadi Party MP Dr. ST Hasan says, “A message is being given to boycott Muslims and visit shops of Hindu.H ow 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.”
BJP says “What hypocrisy”
Shehzad Poonawalla, a BJP spokesperson, criticized those who objected to the police order, stating: “Display of Halal certification to ensure Muslims’ religious feelings are not hurt = Peak Secularism. Request to ALL eateries to comply with law & make proper disclosures of name to ensure that Kanwariyas’ Astha is not hurt by false information- Peak Bigotry.”
He emphasized that everyone should have the right to choose their preferred food during a religious ‘yatra’.
Meanwhile, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Kapil Dev Aggarwal, addressed the issue of food shops on the Kanwar route, clarifying that it is not about every food cart.
“Those who carry ‘jal’ from Haridwar and travel for 250-300 km cross this route to reach their destination. We had urged the district administration that all such people who run their dhaba/hotel after the names of Hindu deities are mostly from the Muslim community. Kanwariyas visit their shops where non-veg is sold. So, if the name of the shop is after a Hindu deity but non-veg is sold there, all such establishments should be prohibited, they should be identified. We have no objection to the sale of non-veg. Kanwariyas would not purchase it. We have only urged that non-veg should not be sold by opening shops after the names of Hindu deities,” Aggarwal said.
He further added, “So, the administration has acted accordingly. Politicians are giving it a Hindu-Muslim angle. But it is not a Hindu-Muslim matter; it is a matter of social harmony. People can sit and eat wherever they want, but they should have knowledge of where they are sitting.”
Amit Malviya, another BJP leader, also criticized the opposition, questioning why Hindus should not have the same right to choose Satvik food during their religious yatra, just as Muslims can eat at Halal-compliant restaurants. He argued that India’s secularism should not be so fragile that a uniform order asking all eateries to display the owner/workers’ names and contact numbers disrupts it.
BJP allies JD(U) and RLD raise objection
The BJP’s ally JD(U) raised strong objections to the order. JDU asks for Kanwar Yatra guidelines on ID Card display to be withdrawn, while RLD calls it wrong. KC Tyagi, a JD(U) leader, stated that the Kanwar yatra has been passing through western Uttar Pradesh for ages without any reported communal tension. He urged the district administration to review and withdraw the decision, emphasizing that there should be no discrimination based on religion or caste.
Another ally of BJP, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), questioning the move and appealing for a reconsideration of the decision.
Anil Dubey, a party leader and spokesperson, stated, “This decision is wrong and it should be reviewed. Our party leader Jayant Chaudhary also has the same opinion.” Furthermore, CM Yogi Adityanath has directed the installation of name plates on all shops along the Kanwar route in the state. This mandate requires food shops on Kanwar routes to display ‘name plates’ that include the name and address of the owner.
Reminds of Hitler era: Asaduddin Owaisi
Asaduddin Owaisi, the AIMIM President, strongly denounced the Uttar Pradesh Police’s verbal order instructing restaurants along the Kanwar yatra route in Muzaffarnagar to display the names of their owners. He compared the directive to the boycott of Jewish businesses during Hitler’s era in Nazi Germany, referring to it as ‘Judenboykott’.
Owaisi labeled the order as a social and economic boycott of Muslims, emphasizing its discriminatory nature. He challenged the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government to issue a written order on the matter.
The Hyderabad MP accused the BJP government of violating Article 17 of the Constitution by promoting untouchability, as well as infringing upon the right to life (Article 21) and the right to livelihood (Article 19).
According to Owaisi, the verbal order has already led to the removal of many Muslim employees from dhabas and hotels in Muzaffarnagar. He questioned the authority behind such actions and criticized the government for seemingly working for only one community while destroying the livelihoods of others.
BSP demands immediate withdrawal
BSP chief Mayawati expressed her strong disapproval of the recent government directive aimed at establishments along the Kanwar yatra route in western Uttar Pradesh and Muzaffarnagar district.
In a post on ‘X’ in Hindi, Mayawati said that these measures are “completely unconstitutional” and are being implemented solely for “electoral gains.” She further condemned the actions as an attempt to economically ostracize individuals belonging to a specific religious community.
New tradition should not be allowed: BKU
Chaudhary Rakesh Tikait, the spokesperson for Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), emphasized the importance of fostering communal harmony in Muzaffarnagar, a city that experienced significant hardships during the 2013 riots. He called for a collaborative effort between Hindus and Muslims in organizing the Kanwar yatra, a religious pilgrimage.
Tikait stated, “The people of Muzaffarnagar have suffered enormously due to the riots in 2013. For a new beginning, Hindus and Muslims should together organise the Kanwar yatra.”