Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: In a hearing addressing directives issued by BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand regarding eateries along the Kanwar Yatra routes, Supreme Court Judge SVN Bhatti recounted his experience with a vegetarian restaurant in Kerala. Justice Bhatti highlighted the importance of hygiene over the identification of eatery owners and staff, sharing his preference for a Muslim-run vegetarian restaurant due to its international hygiene standards.
The Supreme Court stayed the directives requiring eateries to display the names of their owners and staff. However, it suggested that eateries might need to indicate whether they serve vegetarian or non-vegetarian food.
“I have my experience and knowledge when I was in Kerala. Without disclosing the name of the city, there is a vegetarian hotel run by a Hindu and another run by a Muslim. As a judge of that state, I chose to go to the hotel run by a Muslim for vegetarian food because he maintained international standards of safety, cleanliness, and hygiene,” Justice Bhatti said during the hearing.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra, argued against the directives, stating that customers should choose eateries based on the menu rather than the names of the owners. Singhvi also pointed out that some employees have lost their jobs due to these directives.
Singhvi emphasized that the directives lack constitutional or legal support and undermine the secular character of the country. The Supreme Court acknowledged that these directives have implications for multiple states where the Kanwar Yatra takes place.
The bench issued notices to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, the latter of which has a similar directive in Ujjain. The Supreme Court was hearing a batch of pleas from individuals including Moitra, academician Apoorvanand Jha, columnist Aakar Patel, and the NGO Association for Protection of Civil Rights.
