Lagatar24 Desk
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday mandated that all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route must display the names of their owners. This directive follows the Muzaffarnagar Police’s reversal of a similar order after it sparked political backlash.
According to the new directive, every food shop or cart owner must prominently display the owner’s name on a board.
The initial order by Muzaffarnagar police triggered a significant political uproar. Opposition and ruling NDA leaders alike criticized the move, claiming it could create division. Former Union Minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi voiced his concerns on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that such hasty orders from overzealous officials could promote untouchability. Naqvi emphasized the need to respect faith without endorsing untouchability, sharing a photo of himself participating in the Kanwar Yatra to underscore his point.
KC Tyagi, national spokesperson of Janata Dal (United), a key BJP ally, also called for the withdrawal of the Muzaffarnagar police order, warning it could incite communal tension and insisting there should be no discrimination based on religion. In response to the criticism, the Muzaffarnagar administration revised its order on Thursday, making the display of owner names voluntary.
However, the issue was reignited on Friday when Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made it mandatory for all eateries and food carts along the Kanwar Yatra route statewide to display the names of their owners. This decision has continued to draw criticism from various political quarters.
Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi accused Yogi Adityanath of promoting untouchability, comparing him to Hitler. Owaisi condemned the order as a violation of Article 17 of the Indian Constitution, which prohibits untouchability, and argued that it also infringes upon Article 21 (right to life) and Article 19 (right to livelihood).
The Samajwadi Party, part of the opposition INDIA bloc, was the first to criticize the order. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav called it “a social crime aimed at dividing society” in a post on X. He urged the judiciary to investigate the intent behind the order and take appropriate action.
