Kanwar yatra eateries row: Supreme Court stays UP govt's order asking shop owners to display their names during Kanwar Yatra
Kanwar yatra eateries row: The Supreme Court on Monday issued an interim order suspending guidelines that required shopkeepers in Uttar Pradesh along Kanwar Yatra routes to display their names. Instead, owners are now only required to indicate the type of food served in their eateries.
A Bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti issued notices to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, which had implemented the 'nameplate order.' The Bench was hearing a plea from the Association of Protection of Civil Rights, an NGO, challenging the Uttar Pradesh Government's directive.
During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the order was issued without legal authority and described it a "camouflage." He explained, "It is a disguised order for Kanwar Yatra. Violators will be fined for non-compliance. We are talking about thousands of km, mainly tea stalls and fruit shop owners. This is economic death."
Singhvi emphasised the larger issue, stating, "You choose a restaurant based on the menu, not the server's identity. This directive promotes exclusion by identity, which is contrary to the inclusive republic envisioned in our Constitution." He added that Kanwar yatras had been conducted for decades with the support of people from all religions.
Advocate CU Singh, representing the NGO, argued that the order lacked statutory backing and did not serve any purpose. "This has never been done before. No law grants the Police Commissioner the authority to enforce such a directive," he said.
Last week, the Muzaffarnagar Police ordered all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners' names. Subsequently, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government extended the order statewide, with Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh following suit.
The move faced backlash not only from the Opposition but also from some NDA allies, including JD(U) and RLD. The Opposition criticised the order as "communal and divisive," alleging it targeted Muslims and Scheduled Castes (SCs) by forcing them to reveal their identities. However, the BJP, which governs Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, defended the measure as necessary for maintaining law and order and respecting pilgrims' religious sentiments.
- With inputs from agencies
