Kanwar Yatra order: Owners ask staff to quit; small vendors, dhabas fear hit in earnings

Kanwar Yatra order: U.P. Government order requires eateries along Kanwar Yatra route to display owner's name, sparking criticism and impact on businesses.

For the past seven years, Brijesh Pal, a daily wager, worked at a roadside dhaba in the Khatauli area of Muzaffarnagar during the two months of Shravan to help his Muslim owner manage the heavy footfall of customers, mainly the Kanwariyas. He would get ₹400-600 and at least two meals every day for the job.

However, this year his employer Mohammad Arsalan asked him to look for other jobs as he cannot afford to hire extra staff, expecting that his earnings will take a hit due to the Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) Government's Orders to owners of hotels, restaurants, food carts and eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners at their outlets.

After the Muzaffarnagar Police issued the order, the U.P. government on July 19 extended the controversial order across the State. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said similar instructions are already in place in his State as well.

The order has snowballed into a controversy with the Opposition parties, civil society, and even some ruling alliance leaders criticising it. "It was a good source of income as finding other jobs in this season is very difficult because construction and farm work don't happen much in the monsoon season where I could get a job as a labourer," Mr. Pal told PTI. "I joined the dhaba a week ago but now the owner has asked me to look for work elsewhere," he added.

Small fruit vendors and dhabas fear their earnings will be severely hit by the move. Mr. Arsalan, the owner of the dhaba, said he fears that Kanwariyas will not eat at his place due to his Muslim name.

“My dhaba is named Baba ka Dhaba, like every third dhaba on this route. More than half of my staff are Hindus. We serve only vegetarian food here and even avoid using garlic and onion during Shravan (monsoon),“ Mr. Arsalan said. "Still, as the owner, I had to display my name. I have also decided to change the name of the dhaba. I fear that Kanwariyas after looking at a Muslim name will not come and eat at my place," he added.

With such limited business, I cannot afford to hire extra staff this year," he explained. Lakhs of Shiva devotees, called Kanwariyas, visit Haridwar during the Kanwar Yatra every year during Shravan (monsoon) to collect water from the Ganga. The order has not just impacted the earnings of Muslim owners and their staff but also Muslim staff working in eateries owned by Hindu owners.