Uttar Pradesh govt. order for food shops on Kanwar Yatra routes to display name of owner draws ire

Uttar Pradesh Government mandates display of owner's name at food shops along Kanwar routes, sparking controversy and opposition.

The Uttar Pradesh Government on July 19 made it mandatory for food and beverage shops along Kanwar routes to display the name and identity of the operator/owner of their establishments. The decision came amid outrage over the Muzaffarnagar police order asking hotels, dhabas and eateries on the route of the Kanwar Yatra to display the names of the proprietors and shopkeepers; the condition was later made “voluntary”. A formal order was likely to come out soon but a senior official confirmed that the decision had been made.

Opposition parties hit out at the State government, describing the requirement as “divisive”. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called it an attack on the Constitution, democracy and the country’s shared heritage. “Creating division in society on the basis of caste and religion is a crime against the Constitution. This order should be withdrawn immediately and strict action should be taken against the officials who issued it,” she wrote on X.

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai also demanded the immediate withdrawal of the order. “The order is absolutely impractical. They are aiming to damage the sense of brotherhood in society, trying to create division among people. This should be cancelled immediately,” he said.

Union Minister and BJP ally Chirag Paswan also objected to the decision, adding that he did not support anything that created a “divide in name of caste or religion”.

A senior BJP leader and former Uttar Pradesh Minister, Mohsin Raza alleged that the Opposition parties were against the yatra and not the advisory. “The facilities and management of Kanwar Yatra have improved in the last seven years. It is the 8th year; the State government is providing facilities and security. So, no one has to hide their name. It also gives a message of harmony. The Opposition is trying to oppose the Kanwar Yatra and not this advisory,” he claimed.