Kanwar Yatra eateries row: Muzaffarnagar order now extends across UP, Uttarakhand

LUCKNOW: Days after Muzaffarnagar Police asked all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners' names, the Uttar Pradesh government is extending the controversial order across the state and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said similar instructions are already in place there.

The order issued by the Muzaffarnagar police earlier this week for the duration of the yatra has been slammed by opposition parties and some members of the ruling alliance, who say it targets Muslim traders.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the move was "an attack on the Constitution".

An Uttar Pradesh government spokesperson said Friday a formal order for all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route in the state was likely to be issued soon.

In Dehradun, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the decision was taken on July 12 at a meeting to review the preparations for the Kanwar Yatra.

As in Muzaffarnagar, hotels, dhabas and roadside eateries along the yatra route in Uttarakhand have been asked to display their owners' names, addresses and mobile phone numbers.

The Uttarakhand decision will mostly cover Haridwar but some 'kanwariyas' also visit Rishikesh, Neelkanth and Gangotri as part of the yatra from July 22 to August 2.

Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pramendra Dobhal said strict action will be taken against violators. Verification of the staff working at the establishments has also been made mandatory, he said.

The SSP said he has issued instructions to all shops along the yatra route to put up rate lists and QR codes. Sale of meat, fish and eggs will be completely banned in hotels, dhabas and restaurants along the Kanwar Yatra route, he said, adding that strict action will be taken if any complaint is received.

Dhami said the purpose of the decision was not to target or put anyone in trouble. "Why should anyone have any problem in introducing themselves," he asked

There have been criminal incidents at Har ki Pauri in Haridwar in the past when tension broke out over some hotel and dhaba operators hiding their true identities, Dhami said, adding that the decision was taken to prevent such situations.

Inspector General of Garhwal K S Nagnygal said the decision was taken to maintain social harmony during the Kanwar yatra.

Senior BJP leader and former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat justified the move, saying it will help the Shiva devotees choose where they want to eat.

Senior Congress leader in the state Harish Rawat said the decision taken by the Uttar Pradesh and the Uttarakhand governments was unfortunate and painful. "It will foment animosity between communities and bring disrepute to the country," he said.

In Uttar Pradesh, the Muzaffarnagar police said earlier this week that its advisory to the eateries to display their owners's names was aimed at avoiding any "confusion".

"This has been done to ensure that there is no confusion among kanwariyas and no law-and-order situation arises. All are following this voluntarily," district police chief Abhishek Singh told reporters then.

Justifying the move, V K Mishra, in-charge of the weights and measures department of Meerut, said Friday that as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, every restaurant and dhaba 'sanchalak' needed to display the name of the firm, the owner's name and the licence number.

The Muzaffarnagar police advisory drew criticised from several quarters.

Union minister and BJP ally Chirag Paswan unequivocally opposed it and said he would "absolutely … never support or encourage" any divide in the name of caste or religion.

Another BJP ally, the Janata Dal (United), also criticised the advisory. Party leader KC Tyagi said the advisory should be withdrawn as it may cause communal tension and there should be no discrimination based on religion or caste.

The Congress has alleged that the directive was intended to normalise the economic boycott of Muslims. Its spokesperson Pawan Khera called the order "state-sponsored bigotry".

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi compared the Muzaffarnagar police advisory to the Apartheid and Judenboykott, the boycott of Jewish businesses in Hitler's Germany.

The BJP, which is in power at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh, however, defended the measure, claiming that it gives fasting Hindus a choice should they want to eat at a pure-vegetarian restaurant where the likelihood of them being served 'satvik' food is higher.

But senior BJP leader and former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi expressed apprehension that it might spread the "disease of untouchability".

Both Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati hit out at the Muzaffarnagar police advisory. Yadav dubbed it a "social crime" and appealed to courts to take suo motu cognisance of the matter.