Food stall owners must display their names on the shop : UP govt’s decision during ‘Kanwar Yatra’

Commendable order by CM Yogi Adityanath applicable across the State, instead of only Muzaffarpur

Lucknow (UP) – Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered that food stall owners on the ‘Kanwar Yatra’ route should display their names on the front side. He stated that the decision was taken to preserve the sanctity of the ‘Kanwar’ pilgrims. Similar instructions were issued earlier by the Police for shops, eateries and roadside carts in Muzaffarnagar. It is, however, made applicable to the entire route of ‘Kanwar Yatra’ since the opposition parties started to object to the order. As per the CM’s order, every food stall will have to display the name of the owner on the front side. Kapil Dev Aggarwal, a minister in the UP Government had accused that a few Muslim vendors were giving Hindu Deities’ names to their shops and selling meat during ‘Kanwar Yatra’. He gave examples of names of the shops like ‘Vaishnav Dhaba Bhandar’, ‘Shakumbhari Devi Bhojanalay’, etc where non-vegetarian items were sold. He appealed to those shop owners to immediately change the names of their shops.

Owners of food stalls along the Kanwar Yatra routes should put up their names on their shops. – Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

Not just for Muzaffarnagar, now CM Yogi Adityanath’s commendable order is for the entire state of Uttar Pradesh.

This decision should not be limited to… pic.twitter.com/wcTEqwnuGh

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) July 19, 2024

Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, National President of ‘All India Muslim Jamaat’ supports the order

Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, the National President of ‘All India Muslim Jamaat’ has supported the State Government’s order of displaying the names of shop owners enroute ‘Kanwar Yatra’. Maulana Shahabuddin stated that Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur are sensitive Districts. It is the responsibility of the Police and the administration to maintain law and order. This instruction is to avoid any kind of clashes and for holding the ‘Yatra’ peacefully while maintaining communal harmony. ‘Kanwar Yatra’ is a religious event. Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav has turned this religious event into a political battlefield. Akhilesh Yadav wants to create strife in the State ahead of ‘Kanwar Yatra’. He should stop interfering in religious matters. He will get many opportunities to play politics and he can make the best use of them. We have no objection to it.

The order is for all the shop owners : Former Union Minister

BJP leader and former Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi stated while speaking to the media that the order created confusion due to limited administrative guiding principles. He was, however, happy that the State Government has sorted out the matter and confusion. CM Yogi Adityanath has not ordered the people following any specific religion but it is applicable to all shop-owners irrespective of their religion. During the ‘Kanwar Yatra’, the pilgrims avoid eating many food items; therefore, their faith should be respected.

It will create rift between Hindus and Muslims : Deoband Ulema Mufti Asad Qasmi

Deoband Ulema Mufti Asad Qasmi said that such a decision would create a rift between followers of the two religions and give a chance to religious extremists. They will differentiate between Hindus and Muslims in their shops; therefore, the decision should be re-considered. You must have seen that Hindus undertake ‘Kanwar Yatra’ every year when Muslims offer places to rest for the pilgrims and provide food etc. They even shower flowers on pilgrims. Now, the Government’s decision will create a rift between Hindu-Muslims. (The order is meant for all shop-owners irrespective of their religion; therefore, there is no question of a rift. The order will create problems only to those who engage in ‘spit-jihad’ or give the names of Hindu Deities to Muslim shops and mislead the pilgrims. Why is Qasmi keeping mum about it ? – Editor).

Editorial Perspective

This rule should be implemented permanently instead of only during Kanwar Yatra. In fact, Hindus feel that such law should be implemented by the Union Government across the country.