Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has temporarily stayed a contentious order from the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments that required eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners and staff. The court noted that police could not enforce such directives and, at most, could only ask for the display of food items.
This directive faced severe criticism from the opposition. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi likened the move to Apartheid in South Africa and the boycotting of Jewish businesses in Nazi Germany, arguing that it was designed to prevent pilgrims from buying from Muslim-owned shops.
In pausing the order, the court highlighted concerns over the implications of such directives and issued notices to the UP, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh governments. The court also pointed out the “threat of police action in the event of non-adherence.”
“Until the returnable date, we deem it appropriate to pass an interim order prohibiting enforcement of the directive. Food sellers must not be forced to display names of owners and staff,” the court ordered.
Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice SVN Bhatti observed that while authorities could ensure pilgrims were served vegetarian food and maintained hygiene, compelling proprietors to display names and addresses of their staff did not serve the intended objective. The directive, they argued, could infringe upon the secular character of the Republic of India.
The court was hearing petitions against a directive issued by the Senior Superintendent of Police in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, requiring shop owners to display their names during the Kanwar Yatra season. The police claimed the directive was necessary for maintaining law and order.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing the petitioners, argued that the directive aimed at exclusion by identity and lacked statutory backing. He emphasized that food safety standards should be the focus, not the identity of those serving the food.
Singhvi also highlighted the coercive nature of the directive, noting reports of fines imposed for non-compliance. He further argued that the directive was being endorsed at the highest political levels in both UP and Uttarakhand, leading to discriminatory practices.
The UP government recently extended this order across the state, despite significant opposition, including from BJP allies like Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and union ministers Jayant Chaudhary and Chirag Paswan.
As the Kanwar Yatra began this morning with extensive arrangements across states, lakhs of Shiva devotees carry holy water from the Ganges in Haridwar to their homes, offering it at temples along the way.
