Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has moved to the Supreme Court, challenging the directives by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments ordering eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display the name of their owners. The plea by Moitra has sought an injunction against these orders, stating that they heighten social tensions between communities.
The petition—which is yet to be listed for hearing—argues that mandating the display of proprietors' and staff members' identities in the garb of respecting pilgrims' dietary preferences is only a thinly veiled way of disclosing personal identities, especially religious ones. Mostra argues that this unfair diktat disproportionately affects Muslim-owned enterprises, leaves them open to economic boycotts, and puts livelihoods in jeopardy.
It is further alleged in the plea that since June 2023, the Government of Uttar Pradesh has been allowing antisocial elements to target, based on false information, the establishments owned by Muslims and thereby creating conditions to achieve their economic marginalization in the garb of choice of food.
Another petition challenging Uttar Pradesh's order will be heard in the Supreme Court on Monday. Meanwhile, the Kanwar Yatra starts with the onset of the Sawan month of the Hindu calendar, in which millions of Shiva devotees carry holy water from the Ganges River in Haridwar to Shiva temples en route to homes. Elaborate arrangements have been made in several states for this.
After opposition parties and some members in the ruling coalition criticised it, the Uttar Pradesh government did an about-turn and issued a statewide directive that each eatery put up the owner's name along the entire Kanwar Yatra route. Security Elaborate security arrangements have been made by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand authorities to ensure a peaceful yatra period from July 22 to August 19 as this month contains five Mondays reserved for the worship of Lord Shiva.
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