Kanwar Yatra directive was to ensure peaceful completion, greater transparency: UP Govt to Supreme Court

U.P. government defends directive for shop owners to display names on Kanwar Yatra route for transparency and peace.

The Uttar Pradesh government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court opposing petitions challenging its directive regarding the display of the names of shop owners on the Kanwar route.

In its affidavit, the U.P. government said that the directive was issued to ensure a peaceful completion of the Kanwar Yatra and to ensure greater transparency.

Editorial | Not in order: On the Kanwar Yatra and directive on display of names

The government said that the idea behind the directive was transparency and informed choice of the consumer/Kanwaria regarding the food they eat during the period of the Yatra, keeping in mind their religious sentiments so that they don’t, even accidentally, fall foul of their beliefs, the U.P. government said.

“Such situations would obviously lead to flare ups where lakhs and crores of people are walking barefoot carrying holy water,” affidavit of U.P. government stated.

The affidavit was filed on a batch of petitions challenging the directive issued by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Muzaffarnagar, in Uttar Pradesh, to shop owners to display their names outside shops during the Kanwar Yatra season.

The police had said that the decision was in the interest of law and order.